The Story of Us
by bourbonstreet
Summary: AU/AH - Damon and Elena both met at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, but when he graduated and Elena still had another two years left, they pretty much drifted apart. Until two years later, they are thrown back together in LA. Elena now newly single and Damon with a hell of a reputation quickly rekindle their friendship but will it ever lead to more than that?
1. Change

**A/N: Hello my beautiful readers! So I've fallen down a bit of a rabbit hole and have come up with a whole new story for you all! This is a stark contrast to Nothing Else Matters – much lighter and fluffy (yay) but I think you will like it. Chapters are a little shorter but I've already drafted about 12 chapters and have tons of plot ideas so updates should be frequent. Please tell me what you think!**

**1: **_**Change**_

The autumn sun shone through the bedroom window, illuminating the room as Elena Gilbert awoke. She let out a slight groan as she was pulled from her peaceful slumber. Her brunette hair lay splayed out across the pillow, completely wild and unruly. She was quite the restless sleeper which certainly wasn't in the favour of anyone she shared a bed with. Sleeping alone, however, was bliss. She loved the freedom of occupying the entire king sized bed. Her chocolate eyes were bright despite her tired state. Elena had never been a morning person but the beautiful sights of Los Angeles that she saw from her bedroom window made the whole morning thing that little bit easier.

Moving to Los Angeles for work had been a huge thing for her to do but she didn't regret it one bit. LA was beautiful, and the warmth the sun produced for this time of year made it all the more favourable than the New York winters she had become accustomed to.

Elena had spent the last four years attending the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, studying Acting. She had barely graduated when she landed her first movie role, which had brought her to sunny LA.

Pulling herself into a sitting position, she looked out the window, a slight smile forming on her face as she reached for her phone, scrolling through her twitter feed. She was probably a bit of a social network addict but who wasn't? And then right on her screen was a tweet from Damon Salvatore.

** damonsalvatore: **_Viva la vida! LA, I am in you ;)_

Elena stared at the screen wide eyed. What on earth was Damon doing in LA? To be honest, she hadn't seen him since he graduated NYU, two years ago. Not properly. They had spoken since, but with both having such busy schedules and living in different parts of the country; Damon had returned to his home in Louisiana after graduating, and they didn't have the chance to stay in contact. Suddenly, she broke out in a devilish smile, quickly tapping out a reply to the tweet.

** elenagilbert: **_ damonsalvatore What, and no hello? I see how it is ;)_

She quickly pressed send and watched her phone, waiting for a reply. God, it would be amazing to have a familiar face in LA. Especially after everything that had led her to moving to a strange city alone. Moving away from her friends, her family. Of course, she had made a couple of friends in her short time in the city but it wasn't quite the same. Even if one of those friends was actress Caroline Forbes who she had watched in various movies for years. The blonde had grown up under the limelight but was still somehow one of the sweetest most grounded people Elena had met. It was an unexpected friendship but the two had hit it off from the start. They were so alike and yet so different at the same time. Elena couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard in someone else's presence, so Caroline was stuck with her for now.

But it was the breakup that had fuelled her final decision to take the plunge and accept the job. It was something she didn't like to think about. Matt Donovan had been her boyfriend for eight years, they had lasted college, barely, but it was the constant arguments that she couldn't take anymore. Acting was her career and that needed to be her number one priority. It was safe to say things were not left on good terms. Things hadn't been easy but they were slowly getting better. It was an amazing opportunity though. The job that is.

The movie was an adaptation from a book called _Twenties Girl. _It was a gorgeous story that centred around a girl named Lara and the ghost of her great aunt Sadie. During her mission to find a dragonfly necklace that her great aunt cannot rest without, her life is flipped upside down as she is thrown into a world of new love, despite her recent breakup that, among other things, sent the world around around her into turmoil. She had related so deeply with the character, it was uncanny. The script was amazing and she was so excited to get started. It was different to the things she had found comfort in during her time at NYU. Comedy was her forte and she loved it and loved making people laugh but it was time to try something new. It was a new start for herself and things could only get better from here, she assured herself.

She crawled out of bed and walked towards the kitchen. Her apartment was small but perfect. You walked through the front door into a cosy living space with a single two seater couch, and a TV with a coffee table between the two. Above the TV was a window that looked out over the apartment complex. To the left was her bedroom, a modest double room with an adjoining bathroom and straight ahead was the kitchen. It was clean and simple but she loved it.

The first priority on the list was coffee, way above anything else, she mused, grabbing a mug from the cupboard. She had her first read through in a week and she wanted really familiarise herself with her lines beforehand, get a chance to really get a feel of the character she was playing. And there was no way that was going to happen before she had her morning coffee. She tossed her phone on the side and set the coffee machine, searching for something to eat in the meantime.

Throwing a bowl of oatmeal together and popping it in the microwave her attention was back on the coffee as she impatiently waited for it to pour. She really was one of those people who was deemed completely useless before a good caffeine fix, no matter how much sleep she had the night before. Suddenly her phone gave a ping indicating a text, followed by the coffee machine. She actually looked between the two before picking up her phone first. The coffee would be too hot anyway.

**Damon Salvatore: **_I'm hoping you still have the same number. I got in very late last night, I didn't want to wake you from your beauty sleep ;) -D_

She laughed at the message. Damn, he was cheeky. They would always tease each other, ever since they first met, but at the time she was off limits and he was a self proclaimed man whore, but that didn't stop the innocent flirting and teasing they shared throughout the two years they had spent at school together.

**Elena Gilbert: **_Well I'm awake now. I had no idea you were coming to LA! E x_

Well, _he_ must have known _she_ was in LA, she had been shouting from the rooftops as soon as she signed the contract after all. Taking her oatmeal and coffee to the small kitchen table, she sat down beginning her breakfast. Her laptop and the script sat opposite her, calling her name. She needed to make a start today. After all, this was her first big job and the last thing she wanted to do was screw it up. Another messaged pinged through and she unlocked her phone.

**Damon Salvatore: **_Neither did I until a few days ago. I don't suppose you fancy joining a jetlagged insomniac for lunch and show me where the best places to eat are? -D_

Well, how could she say no to showing someone new around town? Or getting _lost_ with someone new in town. That is what it would more likely turn out to be. Living in LA for a couple of weeks hardly qualified her to tour guide status but she would give it her best shot. Maybe she could spend an hour on the script then go for lunch and do some more work on it this evening. Yes, that was a good compromise, she reasoned with herself, excitement bubbling within her. She couldn't wait to see Damon again.

**Elena Gilbert: **_It's a date. Meet me at 12.30 and we'll lunch in true hollywood style. E x_

She quickly tapped out a reply, finishing the last of her breakfast and returned to her room to get ready. Starting the shower, she thought about what she was going to wear. She needed to look hot and her sleepy dishevelled appearance was anything but that.

**Eeek, who's excited to see what happens next. Post some lovely reviews and I'll be sure to let you know ;) Lots of love.**

**-P x**


	2. Beautiful Eyes

**A/N: So, because the chapters are so short, I thought I'd gift you with an update. Also, thank you to amazing Aisha for spotting my error! It has now been fixed. Enjoy :)**

**2: **_**Beautiful Eyes**_

Damon Salvatore hadn't exactly _planned_ on moving to LA. He thought he was done with acting, quite content in working in his dad's auto shop in Louisiana for the time being. He'd been in a few guest roles and commercials since graduating but the reality of a career in acting was hard work and soul destroying, not to mention the stress of not knowing where the next pay check came from.

That was how it had started, at least.

A writer and producer he had worked with while still in college had contacted him, asking if he would come in to read for a part that was 'perfect for him' in their words. He initially declined but they eventually managed to sway him. There was a chance nothing would come of it, but if it did, his stay in the city would be longer than he first planned.

He had arrived in LA the night before, and after rather foolishly sleeping on the flight, he hadn't been able to sleep a wink all night. Fuelled with hotel room coffee and lunch plans set, he was dying to get out and explore. His meeting wasn't until Friday, another two days from now, so he had the time to himself before being thrown into work. And the fact that he couldn't remember the last time he actually had some form of vacation, nothing beat the prospect of having free time to relax.

Damon had grimaced at the thought of having to use cabs to get around, half wishing he had driven to California instead of taking a flight, longing for the familiarity of his Camaro. He needed to get hold of a rental car and fast, he mused. He'd pulled on a black, muscle hugging t-shirt and a pair of jeans, his dark hair its usual disarray as he left his hotel and climbed into the backseat of a taxi to take him to Elena's apartment. At least with a cab, he didn't need to rely on his own bad sense of direction.

The city was bright and busy as people hurried about their daily lives. There was something breath-taking about the city of perpetual sunshine; everyone was busy, not stopping for a second, giving his small town Louisiana accustomed self a small shock to the system. New York was a rush but it was still a stark contrast to the City of Angels. He felt a buzz of excitement as realisation hit him; he was going to be here a little while, at least and he loved nothing more than exploring new places. Change was good. He had become stuck in a bit of a rut back home, so something new and exciting is just what he needed to give himself a fresh drive. Maybe this acting thing wouldn't be so bad after all?

He thanked the cab driver, and headed up the concrete steps to the apartment. Elena's place was part of an apartment complex and it took him a moment to find to find the correct building. There were four apartments in the block, one above the other and he could see the huge windows as he looked up. He rang the buzzer for her apartment, four, checking her message to be sure he had the right place and wasn't hounding some stranger. He smiled as she buzzed her up reassuring himself that he was in the right place, walking up the many flights of stairs to her apartment.

Elena was stood at the top of the stairs with the door open, waiting for him, a warm smile plastered on her face. Damon couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement as he saw her, jogging up the last few steps.

"Hey, Elena! You look great." He greeted, pulling her into a friendly hug. She really did, Damon wasn't ashamed to say it to himself. Her shoulder length brunette tresses were loosely curled and she was dressed in a pair of snug fitting blue jeans, a t-shirt tucked into them and a belt around her waist. Nothing fancy but there was just something about her that had always drawn him in.

She grinned, hugging him back, inadvertently taking in his scent. "Oh, stop it. It's great to see you! So, I take it you managed to get here alright?"

"I did. This is a gorgeous place you have here." He ran his hand through his hair, pushing it back. The wind had really had its way with it.

"Thanks, I'm only leasing it, but it's cute, isn't it?" She agreed, looking around the place.

She picked up her bag and keys and slipped her phone into her back pocket. "So Lunch. I was thinking of this little place not too far from here. It's pretty secluded so it should be a perfect place to catch up. A friend took me there once, I'm sure you'll love it." She lead them out her apartment and down the stairs, into the street. The sun was still beating down on them and she had wished she had brought her sunglasses with her.

"The weather is sure taking some getting used to. It was a huge shock to my system, coming from New York! I walk outside and literally just start sweating." She giggled, probably sharing too much with that information.

"Hey, it's not too bad. Beats the cold and rain, right?" Damon gave her a small smirk, recalling his time in New York, even though it seemed like a million years ago.

Elena couldn't help noticing how piercingly blue his eyes looked against the clear blue sky. They walked through the complex onto the main road where Elena had a taxi waiting for them and they were soon in the back of the air conditioned car, heading to lunch. It was so nice to have someone she actually knew and enjoyed the company of, to spend time with. It made her feel just that little bit closer to home.

"So, you never told me. What are you doing out here in LA?" Elena asked.

"Well, I've actually got a sort of audition, I guess. I'm going in next week to read for a part in a movie. Alaric Saltzman is producing it I think. I've worked with him before while I was still at NYU and his stuff is great, so I'm sure this will be too." He was excited to work on something new and it showed in the way he spoke about it.

"That sounds great! I've got a movie too, and the table read starts next week. I literally can't wait!" Elena admired the way he spoke about his work. There was such a passion in his voice. He was clearly someone who cared and great deal about what he did. She just didn't understand why someone as talented as he was had returned to his small hometown instead of throwing himself into auditions. She had seen him in action and he was clearly good enough to land himself some pretty good roles.

Traffic seemed to be on their side this afternoon and it wasn't long before they pulled up outside the restaurant. _Cote Brasserie _the sign read above the restaurant. Elena pulled her purse out of her bag to pay the taxi driver but Damon stopped her, taking her purse from her and sliding it back into her handbag.

"No, let me pay. Lunch was my idea." Damon pulled out his wallet and handed a crisp twenty dollar bill to the driver. "Keep the change." He was always the gentleman, no wonder he always had a string of girls drooling at his feet. Any opportunity he had to spoil someone, he would do it. He had been taught that way ever since being very young. Growing up in a quiet town in Louisiana had done him good. It had taught him to be humble and level headed, even if he did enjoy to _play_ a little.

"You didn't have to pay." Elena retorted as Damon took her hand and helped her step out of the cab.

"Don't worry about it, It's my pleasure." He gave her one of his signature smiles, the kind that made her a little weak at the knees and they headed into the restaurant.

**The next chapter holds lots of Delena fun, so get excited for that! Currently working on an update for Nothing Else Matters so that should hopefully be up tonight. Please review, it means the world. Lots of love.**

**-P x**


	3. Dancing With Our Hands Tied

**A/N: Hey! Sorry this has taken a little longer to get out. I've been busy with work and then I got sick. I'm **_**still**_** sick (damn co-workers that still come in when they should be at home) but I wanted to get this out for you. Enjoy and please let me know what you think. **

**3: **_**Dancing With Our Hands Tied**_

The restaurant was pretty quiet so they were seated fairly quickly. Conversation between the two flowed easily as Damon talked about his life back in Louisiana. She learned his dad had gotten pretty sick in his senior year of college and he had been running his dad's auto shop while his dad was too sick to do so, and suddenly Elena understood why he had gone back home when he did. It wasn't that he didn't want to audition and throw himself into his career, it was that he _couldn't. _Not when he needed to be there for his family. He refused to let that hang over his conscience.

They ordered a bottle of red wine while they looked at the menu deciding what to eat. Everything looked so good.

"What are you thinking?" Elena asked, taking a sip of her wine. "I'm thinking of getting the steak." She pondered.

Damon laughed. "If I remember rightly, there is no way you are going to finish a 12oz steak and fries."

"Shut up." Elena retorted playfully.

"Fine, but don't blame me when I say _I told you so_ when you leave half of it." Damon flinched when Elena jokingly slapped his arm. "I might get a burger. Or the chicken. That sounds good too." He sipped at his wine, still looking at the menu. "And half your steak." He added, teasingly.

The waiter came over to take their order. Elena settled on the steak, determined she would eat it all and Damon decided on the chicken with a side of onion rings. They continued chatting and catching up and by the time they had finished their food, they had also gone through the whole bottle of wine.

"Damn, that was good." Damon wiped his mouth on a napkin and placed it on the empty plate.

"Mm, it was. _Really_ good." Elena had _almost_ finished her plate, bar a handful of fries and it was safe to say Damon was impressed. "Shall we get another bottle of wine? Or shall we get another drink elsewhere?" Elena finished the dregs of wine from her glass and placed it back down on the table. She didn't quite want the lunch date to end just yet.

"Elsewhere? Why don't you show me a nice bar?" He replied, signalling the waiter to bring over the bill.

"I'll give it my best shot." Elena laughed. "But I don't think two weeks in LA qualifies me to show you all the best places to drink here."

"Oh, I don't know, Gilbert. You seemed to do pretty well in New York, even when you were underage." He smirked, folding his hands.

"Shut it, _Salvatore._" She retorted with a playful glare. She grabbed the bill that had been placed on the table and placed her card on the tray, holding her finger up to shush him as he was about to speak. "_I'm _paying for food." Elena appreciated being treated, but she was also someone who liked to pay her own way. She had never liked freebies or handouts and also believed in gender equality so Damon be damned if he didn't let her pay for this meal.

He let out a sigh, not bothering to argue. "Fine. Thankyou Lena."

"My pleasure. So, drinks. You want a swanky bar?" He nodded. "So let's go find one then."

Food was paid for, Damon had left a generous tip for the waiter as they left and they were back outside. They wandered through the streets of the strip looking for a place to get a drink that wasn't too busy or crowded. Elena was aware she still needed to get back and work through her script but surely one or two more drinks wouldn't hurt?

They found a place on the corner that didn't seem too loud or busy, a few streets over from the restaurant and went inside heading over to the bar. The place looked pretty classy, with dimmed music pumping from the speakers and low lights that hung over the bar and tables. Damon ordered what looked like a rather _nice_ bottle of wine and carried the bottle plus two glasses over to a secluded booth at the back of the establishment. Elena took a seat as Damon filled both their glasses and joined her, taking a seat opposite the brunette in the booth.

They continued chatting and enjoying the wine. It was a _really_ good wine that they would both be happy to pay more for. Elena caught him up on the happenings at NYU over the past two years and when Damon brought up Matt, who he had met at one or two parties when he had come to visit Elena, the brunette went quiet. She mentioned that they had broken up and Damon didn't ask any further, sensing it was still a rather sore subject.

As they were nearing the end of the bottle with Elena definitely feeling a little tipsy, the bartender came over with another bottle. As soon as he left, Elena slapped Damon's arm.

"You ordered _another_ bottle?." She raised her eyebrows.

"I may have asked another to be brought over when the first one was finished." He replied, feigning innocence.

Elena grinned, picking up the bottle and filling their glasses. "Well, I probably shouldn't but it would be rude not to. You did pay for it after all."

"I did. And now you're gonna pay me back." Damon smirked, a suggestive look in his eyes. He loved teasing her but he loved watching her squirm more. She simply replied to his remark with a glare and poured herself a glass of wine.

They carried on enjoying the wine and each other's company, Elena's script work slipping further from her mind as she simply enjoyed herself. It had been a while since she had laughed this hard and it was only now that she realised just how much she missed it. Damon's company was intoxicating but she would not be the first to admit it. They were just two old friends catching up, she tried to kid herself.

"I have to pee." Elena announced, finishing what was left in her glass. She shimmied out of the booth and to the ladies bathroom, after _almost_ walking into the men's. Damon simply watched her, laughing to himself. It wasn't until she stood up that she realised just how drunk she really was. Of course, a lot of wine would do that, but when you're just sitting and drinking, you don't quite realise the effect it has on you until of course, you move.

She staggered back to the booth a few minutes later, regretting her earlier choice of heeled boots and plonked herself back down on her seat.

"Damon." She whispered. "I'm drunk." She looked at him wide eyed, holding back a laugh. Damon broke it by bursting into howling laughter.

"Can I tell you a secret?" He paused, leaning forward. "I can tell." He sat back and raised his hands in surrender as Elena gave him her best death glare.

"You are treading on thin ice, Salvatore." She smirked, pouring the rest of the bottle between their two glasses.

"Come on, drink up and let's get out of here." He finished his wine, followed by Elena and took her hand as they headed outside.

It was now getting dark, the streetlights had come on, illuminating the budding nightlife around them. The bustle of people heading out for a few drinks after a long day of work, or simply for a mid-week night on the town, we're filling the streets and the pair of them, in their wine fuelled state couldn't help but feel the urge to join them. _Cherry Pie_ could be heard blaring from a bar a little down the street and it didn't take Damon a second thought to pull Elena in the direction of the music and dragging her inside. After all, he was a sucker for the classics. She stumbled after him, the best she could in her heels, both ending up in fits of giggles by the time they reached the bar. He ordered a round of bourbon for them both, knowing she too enjoyed his acquired drink.

Damon took a sip of his drink, letting the smooth flavour run over his tongue. He started mouthing the words of the song and before he knew it, he was full in singing and grinding his hips, much to Elena's amusement.

"_She's my cherry pie  
Cool drink of water  
Such a sweet surprise  
Tastes so good  
Make a grown man cry  
Sweet cherry pie oh yeah…_" He sang, unfazed by all the looks he was getting from other people in the bar.

"Damon, we're in public!" Elena sputtered, through fits of laughter, fully aware of the stir he was causing. It did happen to still be quite early in the morning and by the looks of it, the other guests were nowhere near their level at this point.

"Try and stop me!" He smirked and continued to grind his hips, sipping his drink.

He grabbed Elena's hand and pulled her towards the dance floor barely giving her chance to grab her drink before being forced into dance. But it didn't take long for her to let go too, with a bottle and a half of wine surging through her system, both of them dancing and laughing together. All manner of sense had left them as they moved to the music and drank together.

Somehow this wasn't the first time booze had been the advocate of them swaying from the plan. After Damon's graduation, everyone from the School of Acting had gone out to celebrate with their Senior class. After the club had closed, some of the party-goers had moved the celebrations to someone's apartment and after crashing somewhere around 7am, they had woken up with horrendous hangovers on both their parts. Since that night, Elena had sworn she would never drink like that again but that had hardly lasted long.

Drinking in a bar in LA, on a Wednesday evening certainly hadn't crossed Elena's mind when she woke up today, but here they were. Maybe spontaneous plans really were the best kind.

The track faded out and the room was soon filled with the sound of _Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar on Me_. Damon span around letting out a cheer, finished his drink, tossed his glass on a nearby table and pulled Elena closer, mouthing the words at her and swaying their hips side to side. The brunette couldn't help but be drawn into his gaze, going along with his crazy antics.

"This has to be the best bar in all of Los Angeles." He exclaimed before the chorus began and he really started to rock out, completely caught up in the music and having a good time.

Elena decided to leave him be and went over to the bar to order another round of drinks. And to take a moment to level her head. She was clearly far more intoxicated than she intended but she couldn't help but gaze over to the blue eyed man across the room, dancing away without a care in the world. Maybe, just for tonight, she needed to take a leaf out of his book and let her hair down.

She returned to him, bourbon in hand, much to his delight. Clearly all sane thoughts had left both their minds by this point. Songs like _Ram Jam's Black Betty_ and _Bon Jovi's You Give Love a Bad Name_ continued to play and they continued to drink, the wine and whiskey filling their bloodstreams until that was all there was coursing through their veins and they were only inches apart from each other, Elena gazing into Damon's bright blue eyes and Damon into rich brown. Their pulses were the only thing they could hear now, despite the deafening music filling the room, as their lips inched closer towards each other until Elena could feel his breath on her lips. They felt as if they were the only two people in the room, forgetting the bar full of people surrounding them. None of that mattered in the moment. Who knows who made the first move but their lips locked in a drunken kiss, lust and desire taking over as their hands made their way into each other's hair, gripping, tugging and teasing, pulling the other closer if even humanly possible.

Her hand moved to his butt, sliding into the back pocket of his jeans. She gave a gentle squeeze, pulling his body flush against hers, electricity surging through her body. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was something else, but Elena couldn't ever recall a time she felt this attracted so someone. Everything in the sensible part of her brain, whatever hadn't been destroyed by alcohol, was telling her they shouldn't be doing this, but she couldn't help it. She didn't want to stop. Every nerve in her being was on fire. She felt _alive_.

And maybe it was the alcohol talking but Damon hadn't felt like this since his ex, Katherine. Not even the string of meaningless one night stands had made him feel like this. That raw passion that nothing could possibly compare to. Completely unaware to everything and everyone around them. Then again, maybe it was just a closeness they were both seeking, following the breakdown of her relationship with Matt and his with Katherine. Something he hadn't felt in such a long time. Being kissed like this, having a beautiful women with his arms around her and hands entwined in his hair. Actually enjoying his company and laughing together so hard it brought tears to their eyes. They pulled away from the kiss, resting their foreheads together, eyes fixed only on each other. Damon's had darkened to a deep smouldering blue. Elena knew that look.

_Home. _

**What are drunk Delena going to get up to? ;) Please review, it means a lot to hear your thoughts and I'll try to get an update for this and Nothing Else Matters out later this week. Lots of love!**

**-P x**


	4. This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

**A/N: Hey! So I finally finished the update for this story. Thank you for being patient with me and I hope you enjoy!**

**4: **_**This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things**_

The sun broke through the window the next morning, as the forgotten about curtains failed to keep the light out. Elena cracked her eyes open slightly, grimacing at the bright light. The pounding in her head and the dryness in her mouth was apparent but she physically didn't want to move. She stayed there for a few minutes before the need to pee unwillingly forced her out of bed. Slowly, she swung her legs out until her feet landed on the floor and crept to the bathroom. The stale taste of alcohol in her mouth, reminded her of the sheer amount she had drank last night. The fogginess in her head clarified the fact that she was _still_ drunk. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, the remnants of smudged mascara and lipstick on her face proving she had failed to remove her makeup. Yes, she had _definitely_ had too much to drink.

She ran the tap, waiting for the warm water and washed off yesterday's makeup, patting her face dry with a towel and applying a little moisturiser to relieve the dryness that sleeping in makeup had caused. Taking her bathrobe from the hook on the back of the door, she slipped her arms in, tying it loosely around her waist then moved to the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water, downing the thing in one before returning to her bedroom.

There she noticed a figure sleeping in her bed and it dawned upon her.

_Damon._ _Shit. _

She crept back into bed, still wrapped in her bathrobe, deciding it was better to leave him be and attempt to sleep off this hangover. She would figure out how to deal with this situation later, but right now, her body and her head desperately needed some more sleep.

When Damon awoke, the first thing he noticed was the unbearable bright light filling the room. The second was the fact that he knew he wasn't in his own bed. The silky purple bed sheets were the first tell-tale sign. Sure, it certainly wasn't the first time he had woken up in a strange bed but as the memories of the previous night flooded back to him, he realised just _who's _bed he was in.

Elena _fucking _Gilbert's bed.

The next thing Elena knew, she was awoken to the sound of a deep grumble coming from next to her. She rolled over and cracked her eyes open slightly to see Damon there with his face buried in the pillow.

"My head…" He murmured, rolling onto his side to face the brunette.

He opened his eyes to reveal those bright blues that Elena had been so lost in the night before. She let out a slight laugh, taking in his sleepy form. His dark hair was sticking up in all directions and he had a lazy lopsided half smile, half frown on his face.

"I agree." She mumbled, rubbing her dry eyes and pushing the stray hairs from her face.

"Did we drink all of LA last night?" Damon rubbed his eyes, regretting all of his life decisions related to drink to date. Well just the third bottle of wine. Or the - _how _many whiskeys did they actually drink last night?

"Probably." She curled her legs up and pulled the duvet up to her chin.

Damon groaned. "Just drop me in the ocean and leave me to drown. I'm dead anyway."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Drama queen. You know what the cure is though." She gave him a smirk, knowing full well what his reaction would be.

His face turned back into the pillow, with a groan. "_Don't. _I swear my liver is threatening to quit on me. I can feel the ice cold hand of death reaching for my soul already."

"I think I recall you signing your soul over to the devil. Right before those tequila shots, am I right?" She retorted all too chipper. Blue eyes narrowed in her direction and he turned his face out of the pillow. "What? You're telling me you forgot that?"

"You're not a good person, Gilbert." He sneered, the dull pounding in his head getting louder.

"No Damon, I'm a fucking great person. You told me that last night." She was probably stepping over a line but she couldn't help it.

A smirk crossed his lips. "Yes darling. But I also probably gave you declarations of love. You can't take my word as gospel when I'm drunk."

"Ironic considering you're laying naked in my bed..." She replied in the most deadpan tone.

You could practically see his eyes bulge out of his head as realisation kicked in, gears beginning to move in his head again, hangover making way for common sense to move in. Elena reached down and picked up his forgotten trousers from the floor and tossed them in his direction. Damon was suddenly very aware of the situation he found himself in. He was _naked_ in his _friends_ bed. This was bad. Very bad. What the fuck had he done?

"Get dressed Salvatore. I'm making coffee." She stood up and exited to the kitchen, starting up the coffee machine, leaving Damon to fumble for his clothes, wherever the hell they had been discarded last night. She was going to need a lot of coffee if she wanted to get through today. And a lot of painkillers for that matter. And greasy food, definitely greasy food.

She gazed out of the window as she waited for the coffee to brew. Clearly alcohol had clouded her better judgement last night. On both their parts actually. Sleeping with Damon Salvatore had not been part of the plan when she agreed to a lunch date yesterday morning. Her script was still untouched on the kitchen table. She really had to make a start today. This was probably the least professional she had ever been.

She thought about Damon in her room and let out an exasperated sigh. _Dammit Elena. This is why we can't have nice things. _Why did she have to go and sleep with her friend? And why did it have to be Damon Salvatore? Now things would be a whole new realm of awkward. Yes, Damon was being flirty but did she have to reciprocate? And did she really have to drink as much as she did?

Damon emerged from her room just as the coffee had finished. He was still in a dishevelled state, shirt crumpled and hair sticking up in all directions but at least he had clothes on now. She took two mugs from the cupboard and poured them each a cup. Damon sat down at the breakfast bar and Elena remained standing, nursing her coffee. She needed to get her head straight and didn't want it to be clouded with Damon anymore.

He sat there, taking in her demeanour. It wasn't that he hadn't enjoyed last night, he had, it just wasn't the smartest idea. His brain was slowly kicking in and the coffee was helping. Did he regret what had happened? No, probably not. But he did regret _how_ it had happened. Damon was ashamed he had acted impulsively in the least gentlemanly way possible. And now he was scared to know just how much he had fucked up their friendship.

"Elena?" Damon asked. She turned her head to look at him. "Are you okay?" He looked at her concerned, desperate to know what she was thinking. His own mind was currently in overdrive.

"I'm fine. Well, except for the hangover." She let out a chuckle. "Are we good?" She hated the thought of ruining their friendship over a drunken one night stand. That was the last thing she wanted to happen.

"Of course we are." He gave her a warm smile.

They sat in silence finishing their coffee, but Elena couldn't help keep her mind from wandering. It was good sex. _Damn _good sex. And that was drunk, imagine what it would be like sober. No, _stop it Elena. _She needed to stop those thoughts because it was not going to happen again. They were friends. She wasn't going to _let_ it happen again. The buzz from her phone on the kitchen counter brought her back to reality. She opened up the message.

**Caroline Forbes: **_On my way. Put the coffee on x_

Shit. Elena had completely forgotten her friend was coming over today. Caroline had agreed to help her organise things in her new apartment. The tiny spare bedroom was still a chaos zone of bags and boxes she had yet to sort through. She nearly threw a fit the last time she came over and saw the mess. It wasn't terrible but Elena was grateful for the help and it also meant she could spend some time with her new friend.

Elena didn't exactly want to ask Damon to leave but she also didn't need the questions from Caroline that would certainly follow if he stayed. Especially in the dishevelled state he was currently in. She had about thirty minutes before she got here. Forty five if traffic was bad. And she looked a state herself.

"My friend is on her way over." She rubbed her temples, resting her elbows on the kitchen counter. "I'm sorry, I forgot we made plans."

"Do you want me to go? I can go."

Elena nodded. "I'm sorry, it probably wouldn't make a great impression if you're here. She...likes to speak her mind, let's just say that."

"It's fine." Damon chuckled. "I have things to get on with today anyway."

He downed the rest of his coffee and gathered his jacket, keys and wallet from the couch. "Do you know where my phone is?" He asked more in a question to himself as he patted his pockets and went to search for it in the bedroom. He emerged a few moments later with his phone in hand.

"Do you want me to call you a cab?" She asked, watching him run around. The truth was, she didn't want him to go. She would rather he stay so they could talk. Properly talk and iron things out between then and see where they stand. But Caroline was already on her way over and she didn't want to cancel on her friend.

"It's fine, I can get an Uber outside." He walked towards the front door and Elena followed him. "I'll give you a message later?" He opened the door and turned back to face the brunette. "I'll see you soon. And...put some clothes on before you friend gets here." He smirked before turning and leaving.

Luckily he didn't see the bright beetroot shade her cheeks had turned. Elena closed the door, leaning her head against it and let out a deep sigh. _Fuck._

**So, we get to meet Caroline in the next chapter, I hope you're looking forward to that! Please review and let me know what you think! Lots of love as always.**

**-P x**


	5. I Did Something Bad

**A/N: An update two days in a row? Who is this? Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter, it means a lot. I know this one is a little short again but I wanted to stop where I did. I will aim to make them longer in the future though! Anyway, enter Caroline. I hope you enjoy!**

**5: **_**I Did Something Bad**_

Elena had just about managed to shower and get somewhat dressed. If changing into leggings and a baggy sweater actually counted as getting dressed. Her hair was still wet, wrapped in a towel on top of her head and she was on her second cup of coffee of the day, so far. It was certainly helping, but she still felt pretty horrendous. And she still wasn't happy with how her and Damon had left things, but right now she had other things to focus on, such as the state of her apartment and the fact that clean freak Caroline Forbes was on her way over.

Caroline arrived, prompt as ever and Elena buzzed her up, trying to organise the disarray of her apartment the best she could in about thirty seconds. Damon had left about ten minutes ago, heading back to his hotel room to try and attempt to sleep the rest of his hangover off. It was either lack of sleep, jet lag or a combination of the two but Damon had come off far worse than Elena after their previous night's antics. Not that she felt _much_ better than he did.

Elena was curled up on the couch when Caroline walked through the door. She was nursing her coffee and had already poured a cup for her friend. The television was on but muted. Any sound was unbearable right now.

"Fuck Elena, someone had a heavy night last night." It was funny how well Caroline knew the brunette in the short time they had been friends with each other.

They had met on Elena's first night in town. The director of her movie had thrown a party and he had invited Elena so she could get to know a few people in LA. That was where she had met Caroline, a fellow actress with more credits under her belt than Elena could ever dream of. After Elena had got over the initial fangirl moment, the pair had laughed and chatted the entire night, exchanged numbers and had been on several coffee dates since. And today, a friend was exactly who Elena needed.

The brunette looked up from her position on the couch at her friend who was well presented as always, her blonde hair curled nicely, makeup done accentuating her bright blue eyes and outfit on point. Elena would be lying if she said she wasn't a little jealous.

"You could say that…" She placed her mug down on the coffee table and put her feet on the floor, patting the seat next to her. "Come sit."

Caroline put her handbag on the floor and took the seat next to her friend. "Who were you destroying your liver with, then?"

"A friend from New York, Damon Salvatore. We went to school together and he got into town yesterday morning. We went for lunch and things escalated." She let out a small laugh.

"You are something else, Elena." Caroline laughed. She pulled out her phone and snapped a quick picture of Elena, furiously typing away.

"If you post that, I swear to god!" She looked at the blonde, giving her a glare.

"You will what?" She giggled, holding her phone away as Elena tried to grab it from her.

"You're dead." The brunette snarled, reaching for her coffee. "There's a mug of coffee in the kitchen if you want some. Leave me to die here in peace."

"No chance. We're sorting out that spare room today. Get up and dry your hair."

Elena pouted, resulting in Caroline simply pointing to the bedroom with a stern look on her face. She groaned, hauling herself up from the couch and headed to her bedroom. She could try to argue but it would be no use. She grabbed her hairbrush and started brushing through her tangled wet tresses, regretting not brushing it before her shower. Once her hair was detangled, she grabbed her hair dryer and started drying her hair. When Caroline had decided she could boss her around was news to her, but it was working. She managed to just about dry her hair, not having the energy to style it properly and returned back to the living room.

"Happy now?" Elena asked, in a slightly joking tone and tousling her now dry hair. Truthfully, she did feel a little better now but she wasn't about to admit that to her stubborn friend.

Caroline grinned. "Definitely. So, how about we order some food and tackle that spare room?"

Elena nodded. Damn Caroline's productive attitude. "I suppose that's a fair deal."

They spent the next few hours sorting and organising her spare room and eating pizza. Flat pack ikea furniture was built and pictures were hung. Who knew Caroline Forbes was such a dab hand at DIY? It was finally starting to look more like an office type space than a storage unit when Caroline noticed something.

"Elena, what's that on your neck?!" She lifted her dark hair out the way with a knowing grin on her face while Elena looked in a mirror.

Her eyes bulged out of her head when she noticed a bright purple mark just above her collarbone staring back at her in the mirror. _Damon. _"I…" She stuttered. They were just going to keep the night between themselves. It was a drunken thing and no one else needed to know about it.

"So your friend. Is he a friend or a _friend_? What's his name...Damon?" Caroline raised her eyebrow in curiosity.

"No! Maybe...yes. We were drunk, it was a one time thing." It was hilarious how her younger friend held the motherly role in the relationship. Well, she was only a year younger, but still. Elena had now turned beetroot at the blondes judging expression.

Caroline chucked. "Was it _good_?"

"I don't kiss and tell." Elena bit her lip then nodded, laughing to herself.

The blonde nudged her friend, smiling. "Good for you. Now, I think we are pretty much done in here. It looks pretty good if I do say so myself."

Elena stood up admiring the room, glad her friend had dropped the subject of Damon. She didn't want to think of him right now. He was invading her thoughts far too often for her liking. More than once she had caught herself thinking about the previous night. And that was more times that she would have liked to admit. But the room looked amazing. They had built a desk which stood under the window and her laptop now had a home. Her books now had a place on the bookshelf and all the boxes were gone and unpacked.

"Right…" Elena picked up a slice of pizza and took a bite before continuing to speak. "Want to move this party to the lounge?"

Caroline stood up and grabbed the pizza box, leading the way back into the lounge. She placed the pizza box down on the coffee table and went to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of wine and two glasses. Elena sat herself on the couch, the same place the blonde had found her several hours earlier before forcing her to move and be productive. Caroline returned and sat down next to Elena, holding the wine bottle between her legs and opening it. She poured herself a glass before offering it to the brunette. "I'm going to have some, you don't have to."

Elena looked at the bottle for a moment before pouring herself a glass. Maybe drinking again wasn't such a good idea but with no men around, surely she couldn't make any more bad decisions. Plus, hair of the dog and all that. She took a sip and turned the television on, allowing whatever was on to break the silence.

"When do you start work on that movie?" Caroline asked, curling her legs up underneath her.

"Next week." Elena replied. "I still haven't touched the script since the first time I read it though…"

"Elena!"

"I was planning to yesterday, and then I went to lunch...and you know the rest." The brunette let out a deep sigh, drinking some more wine. "God, what is wrong with me?"

Caroline laughed, nudging her friends arm. "Nothing! Just don't sleep with the next person you have lunch with. Simple."

Elena slapped her arm, drawing a dramatic gasp. "Uncalled for!"

"You know it's the truth." She grinned, trying to prevent another slap coming in her direction. "Sorry."

The two sat together sipping wine and watching crappy TV until it started to get dark outside, the street lights shining through the window and illuminating the room. Elena had retrieved her script from the kitchen table and was flicking through it, highlighting her lines and writing some notes down. It really was an amazing script. And it was only then that she noticed something on the cover.

_Director/Producer: Alaric Saltzman_

"Fuck." She muttered under her breath. How had she not put two and two together before? Caroline turned her head in Elena's direction.

"Everything okay?" The blonde asked.

"I think... I think things may have got a little awkward." Elena looked at the script on her lap. "I think Damon is working on this movie too."

"And?" Caroline asked, coaxing her to continue, not fully understanding what Elena was stressing over.

"And I can't get him out of my head." She sighed, rubbing her temples, pushing her glasses on top of her head.

"Have you spoken to him about it?" The brunette shook her head. "Elena, you need to talk to him." Caroline gave her a stern look.

"I'm not ready for a relationship. With anyone." Elena picked up her wine and took a sip. Truthfully, she still wasn't one hundred percent over Matt. The idea was to just enjoy being single for a while.

"I'm not saying you have to date him. I'm saying you need to talk about how you feel. And if you're going to be working on a project together, you need to have that all cleared up before you start." Caroline's dating history hardly won awards, choosing mostly to remain single and focus on her career. But if she ever found herself in Elena's situation, this was how she would handle it. Probably.

"Or we just get on with it and pretend it never happened. I know which idea I prefer." Elena turned her attention back to the TV, sipping her wine and Caroline sighed. Well, at least she tried. She'd given her advice, the rest was up to Elena.

**Well, what do you think Elena should do?! Please review, much love!**

**-P x**


	6. Shake It Off

**A/N: _Another_ update?! The words are flowing with this story, this is the longest chapter yet! Lots happens and we meet some new characters, how exciting! Thank you for all your love and support, you're all amazing. I hope you enjoy this one!**

**Also, just a disclaimer to mention that the movie plot is not mine. It's from a book called Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella - seriously check it out, its incredible! But the movie Delena are starring in is an adaptation of that book. **

**6: **_**Shake It Off**_

Monday morning soon rolled around. The alarm on Elena's bedside table sounded bringing her out of her slumber. Today was the day she started work on the movie. She needed to be at the studio for a read through for 9am but for some reason, she didn't quite want to leave her dream filled sleep. Sleep filled with images of that blue eyed man that she tried so hard to get out of her head. Her subconscious however, wasn't quite respecting her wishes.

She swung her legs out of bed and rubbed her eyes, looking at the time, 7am. Leaving her warm bed, she moved to the kitchen, flicking the switch for the coffee machine, waiting for the warm caffeinated goodness. Thoughts flooded her mind about seeing Damon. She assumed this was the movie he was reading for, unless Alaric Saltzman was doing another movie at the same time, but she couldn't be sure. The two hadn't spoken since the Thursday morning. Damon had been busy over the weekend and Elena was, well, avoiding him. She was in LA to work, not get involved with another man. She was _done_ with men, well, for now at least. Following her failed eight year relationship that had been pretty much destroyed by her career path, she was taking time for herself to focus on her career and explore new horizons now she was finally entering the big wide world of Hollywood.

It was a little after eight when she left her apartment. She showered and dressed herself in some dusky rose trousers that cut off at the ankle and a white blouse tucked into them. Fearing she would be too cold, she added a grey blazer and slipped on some black flats. After several failed attempts, she hailed a cab to take her to the studio. Maybe she should have left a little earlier. She tapped her fingers on her knee, as she sat in rush hour traffic, not moving for the best part of thirty minutes, begging for the traffic to disperse so she had any chance of getting to her destination on time. She arrived at the studio bang on 9am, rushing through the door and into the meeting room where the rest of the cast and directors were already sat.

"Sorry." She said in a breath, taking a seat and throwing her bag under her chair. "Traffic was a nightmare."

The room erupted in a chorus of laughter and chatter knowing how bad rush hour traffic was in LA, especially to someone unfamiliar with it. Elena gazed around the room at all the faces. Some she knew, some she didn't but none of them were Damon Salvatore. Maybe she was mistaken?

The table read went extremely well. First they discussed the script and any thoughts they had towards it, then they read through the whole thing. Elena was playing the part of Lara, a girl in her twenties who always had an overactive imagination. After the funeral of her Great Aunt Sadie, she gets visited by her ghost in the form of a Charleston dancing goddess. She requests she find her dragonfly necklace because she simply can't rest without it. But she is plagued with problems of her own. She is the co-founder of her own headhunting agency but the future of the company is uncertain. And of top of that, she has just been dumped by the love of her life, Josh. So, along with Sadie, she embarks on an adventure to find the necklace, uncovers the ugly truth behind her Uncles wealth and success and even manages to get tangled up in a love story of her own.

By lunchtime, Elena left the building and sat on a bench outside. She had invested herself into the character so much, she was left emotionally drained and needed a moment to herself.

"Elena?"

She wiped away a tear and turned around. She hadn't even realised she was crying. "Hi Alaric. Sorry, just needed a minute."

"It's fine. Here, I brought you some coffee." He handed her a paper cup and sat down on the bench next to her.

"The script is incredible." She took a drink from the coffee, enjoying how it was warming her hands.

He gave Elena a little nudge of thanks. "I knew you were right for the part. What you did in there, that was outstanding."

"Thanks." She let out a small laugh. "I just went with my instinct. Tell me if you want me to change anything."

"Will do. So this afternoon I want to do some screen tests. We still don't have the part of Ed cast. I know I read for him this morning, but I won't be playing him." He let out a chuckle. "I want them to read a scene with you before I make my final decision. Take lunch now and we'll start at two. Mel has the scene I want to see." He gave her a warm smile and went back inside.

Elena nodded and sat outside a little longer, drinking her coffee. When her coffee was empty and she was cold, she went back inside to find Mel and look through the scene. It was the scene where Sadie sets up a meeting with Lara and Ed at a jazz bar and despite Sadie telling him to go away, he doesn't hear her or listen and they realise the want each other. Ed tells her he doesn't want to screw this up and kisses her. And then she practically unloads her entire family history on him. Elena reads through the scene several times during lunch and by the time two rolls around, she is pretty much off book.

She goes into a room with a camera set up and a couple of chairs and takes a seat, flicking through the script while she waited for whoever else was sitting in on this screen test. It turns out that two actors were being tested for chemistry with herself, alongside actress Rebekah Mikaelson who was playing the part of Sadie. The first, Ben McKittrick, an actor she had never met (or heard of, shame on her) before was really friendly and had worked with Alaric before. She thought the scene went pretty well, even the kiss, which from her own experience, can sometimes feel unnatural and forced before you get to know your scene partner well enough. But the scene went well and they had a laugh. She would be more than happy to work with Ben. When the first test was done, she took a short break to recollect herself before the second actor arrived.

She took her place, her script on the floor because she didn't needed it anymore and looked up as a tall figure entered the room. Of course, who else but Damon Salvatore was up for the role. Apparently Ben McKittrick was getting the part before Alaric thought of Damon and had got him to agree to read for the part. Elena just watched the smirk form on Damon's face, trying to swallow her frustration.

"So after spending a whole day together last week, you failed to mention that _this _was the movie you were reading for?" She chimed, looking at him with raised eyebrows, not knowing what else to say.

He gave her a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry? I honestly didn't realise. Hey, can we just start over, forget last week ever happened and get through this read through with no hard feelings?"

Elena let out a sigh and nodded. "Sure, I'm sorry too. Friends?" She held out her hand and Damon shook it.

"Friends." He smiled.

The read through went well. _Incredibly_ well. After Elena got over Damon's face while Rebekah was yelling her lines into his ear that was. The first line was followed by fits of laughter on her part and it took her about ten minutes to get herself together. After that, everything clicked. When they had finished, Elena needed a cold shower. She realised this was her first sober kiss with Damon. Even though they were playing characters, the electricity wasn't any less real. Unlike before where there was just hunger and lust, this time there was passion and tenderness. She had to remind herself they were only acting. This was their job. But everything in her mind was fogged. Every thought and feeling she had tried to push out of her mind over the weekend had come flooding back in full force and it was all because of this blue eyed man. This stupid blue eyed, devilishly attractive man.

At the end of the day she went home alone, declining dinner offers, saying she was too tired. This was half true. It had been a mentally and emotionally challenging day and Elena needed some alone time. She spent the evening on the couch with a bottle of wine, Facetiming her mom until she eventually hauled her ass to bed. Damon text her that night to tell her he had got the part.

She didn't reply.

The rest of the week was filled with wardrobe fittings, in hair and makeup and screen tests. Her and Damon didn't really cross paths much that week but he still played in the back of her mind. If they were going to be working together, she really needed to get her head in check. She was a grown woman not a teenage girl dammit. So when the weekend rolled around, she was more than ready to let her hair down. She just needed some plans.

Caroline had been her saviour. Instead of sitting on her own with wine and Netflix on a Friday night, she had been invited to a party the blonde was throwing. A bunch of Caroline's friends were in town so she had decided to throw a little party and Elena was more than happy to be invited and meet some new people. Probably some of the _World of Storms_ cast. Damn, she needed to be cool. Not that it was one of her favourite shows or anything.

Elena put some music on and started getting ready. She started with her hair, not really knowing what to do with it. It had been put into all sorts of styles and updos during the week, she really just wanted to let it hang loose. She brushed through her hair and turned on a curling wand, sectioning her hair to start curling it.

An hour and a half later and she was ready. She had put on a tight navy lace detail dress that reached just above her knees and some black strappy heels. Her hair was curled, tumbling down her back and her makeup consisted of a smokey eye and nude lip. She grabbed her clutch and did a once over in the mirror before booking a taxi.

When she arrived, the party was in full swing. She made her way through the kitchen and went to find her friend. The place was packed which was quite impressive, her apartment was quite something. She found her friend on the couch, drink in hand and clearly a little tipsy already. Elena definitely had some catching up to do.

"Lena!" Her friend exclaimed, throwing her arms open and spilling a little drink in the process. "You made it!"

Elena laughed, pulling her friend into a hug. "Of course. Do you think I would miss a party?"

"Well...Anyway. You need a drink!" Caroline jumped up and went into full on hostess mode.

Elena got her drink, a large wine glass filled to the top and was soon having a great time. She mingled a while before finding Caroline again. There were a few people she recognised, Elijah Mikaelson and Enzo St John to name a few, but the majority of the guests she didn't know.

"So, how's your first week on the job been?" The blonde asked, taking a long drink.

"Pretty good. I'm having a blast!" She tossed her hair playfully.

"I noticed, you're glowing." Caroline reached out a hand and playfully pinched her cheek.

"But guess who I'm working alongside? Damon…" Elena raised her eyebrows, waiting for her friends reaction. Caroline burst into laughter and Elena slapped her arm. "It's not funny, Care!"

"Why don't you just talk to him? You know, like an adult?" She finished her drink and poured herself another.

Elena sighed. "Shut up, you're useless." She paused for a moment, tracing the pattern on the stem of her wine glass with her finger. "We spoke, we're remaining friends. He doesn't want any more than that and neither do I for that matter. End of subject, finito."

"Fine, just stop complaining about him to me." She gave her friend a grin and a peck on the cheek. "Go get drunk and flirt with my male co-stars. We both know that's why you're here." Someone called her name and Caroline left the kitchen to mingle.

She was right. Elena downed her wine and grabbed the bottle of bourbon on the side. She was going to need something a little stronger to stay cool around the stars of her favourite show. Well, _appear_ cool in her eyes while she was probably, in reality making a total fool of herself.

"Well, you must be the gorgeous Elena I've heard so much about." A voice broke out in the kitchen.

Elena looked up to see Enzo St John flashing her a smile. "Enzo! Fancy meeting you here." She swirled the bourbon in her glass and took a swig.

"Ah, the hard stuff. Not a bad idea at all." He finished his beer and poured a glass of bourbon. "So, Care said you just moved from New York. What brings you to this sunny place?"

Elena let out a laugh. "I'm working on a movie over here. I've had all my fittings and we start shooting next week." It was crazy to think that she had watched Enzo on TV for years and now she was standing in Caroline's kitchen, having a conversation with him in the flesh.

"Sounds great! So how are you finding LA?" He finished his drink and poured himself another.

"What, is this 21 questions?" She teased, starting to feel the effects of the alcohol a little. "I love it here. It's such a stark contrast to New York. I'm just so grateful I managed to get a job right out of acting school."

"I'm glad you like LA. We would have problems if you didn't." He teased, reaching for the bottle of bourbon realising it was empty. "Ah...we're out. what do you want to drink next?"

Elena examined the selection of bottles on the kitchen island. By now, all the good stuff was gone. There were some bottles of beer and two almost empty bottles of wine, a white and a rose and several bottles of spirits. "What do you think about cocktails?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I know absolutely nothing about cocktails." He retorted.

"Good, so you won't know how bad this probably is." Elena grinned and started mixing them up some drinks, throwing everything and anything into the two glasses. She took a sip, pulled a face and added some orange juice before pushing one of the glasses in Enzo's direction.

He looked at the drink sheepishly, pushing his hair back out of his face before taking a sip and pulling a face. "Hm, that's…"

Elena took a swig, pulling an equally disgusted face. "Awful, isn't it." She laughed putting the glass down and watching him take another drink. "You don't have to drink it."

"Thank god, never become a bartender, _please." _He chuckled.

Elena feigned a pained look. "Hurtful! How do you know I wasn't a bartender in New York."

Enzo grinned. "Because that," he gestured to the drink, "is proof of that."

"You got me." She giggled, admitting defeat.

Enzo pulled a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket. "Fancy joining me for a smoke?"

"I don't really smoke but sure, I'll come for the fresh air." She slid down from the bar stool, taking a second to work out how to stand in her heels. Safe to say she was drunk. Not drunk like the previous week, or Damon Salvatore drunk, but nonetheless, drunk.

They both left the apartment to stand outside the building so Enzo could smoke. Elena wrapped her arms around herself, wishing she had brought a jacket out with her as the cool night air brushed over her skin.

"Cold?" He raised her eyes at her demeanour. "You can always go back inside if you want. I'm fine out here."

Elena shook her head. "I'm fine. The fresh air is doing me good." She rubbed her arms, trying to get a little warmth into them.

"Here." He slipped his jacket off and draped is over her shoulders. "Take my jacket. I'm warm enough."

She smiled, appreciating the warmth is jacket gave, watching as he blew smoke into the night. "You know what, I will take a cigarette if you're still offering."

He took one out of the packet and handed it to her, then took his lighter from his other pocket and held it out, lighting it for her. She took a drag, blowing out smoke. It had been quite a while since she smoked actually. She had never been a real smoker, except for the odd one at a party or for a small acting job she did a few years back.

"There's an store over the road. I'm gonna run and get some more booze, meet you upstairs?" Enzo suggested, stubbing out his cigarette.

Elena grinned. "Deal."

Caroline was right. Elena needed a night to let her hair down and relax and that was certainly what she was doing. Once she finished her cigarette she stubbed it out on the wall and went back upstairs to Caroline's apartment, grateful when the warmth hit her.

"Elena!" Caroline ambushed her when she entered. "Where's Enzy?"

Elena laughed at the blondes nickname for her friend. Clearly she had been thoroughly enjoying herself. "He went to get more alcohol, he'll be back in a minute."

"Excellent!" She squeaked. "We're just about to play a game of Never Have I Ever!"

"What are we? Twelve?" Elena shrugged Enzo's jacket off and hung it on the coat hook, watching Caroline and her pleading smile. "Fine…how can I say no to that face?"

The remainder of the party consisted of playing various drinking games and getting stupidly drunk. By the time 3am hit, it was just Elena, Caroline and Enzo left at the party. Elena sat on the couch, squinting furiously at her phone, trying to call a cab. Caroline stumbled over to her and flopped down on the seat next to her.

"You're not gonna get one anytime soon babe, crash on my couch if you want. You'll have to fight Enzo for the best spot though." Caroline offered.

Enzo piped up, pouring the last of the liquid from a whiskey bottle into a glass. God knows how he was still drinking. "Aww, you mean I don't get to share a bed with you, Care?"

The blonde burst out laughing. "Nope, I'm gonna starfish all my myself." She gestured, throwing her arms out to the side and accidentally smacking Elena in the head.

"Owww!" The brunette frowned, rubbing the side of her head.

Caroline stood up. "Right, bed. You two, behave." She narrowed her eyes, pointing at them both before stumbling off to her bedroom.

Elena and Enzo looked at each other for a moment before Enzo dove onto the couch, stretching out fully, leaving Elena on the edge. "Too slow!" He grinned, balancing his drink on his chest.

Elena stood up and walked over to Caroline's bedroom, unzipping her dress. She had already ditched her heels earlier in the night. She opened the door to find her friend scrubbing her makeup off with a face wipe. She looked around the bedroom, admiring how immaculate it was. Everything had its place and even in her drunken state, nothing had been thrown on the floor. "Ooh, can I have one?" She took the wipe and started removing her own makeup.

"Everything okay?" The blonde asked, undressing herself, throwing her dress into the wash basket and slipping on a huge oversized t-shirt.

"Yeah, can I borrow something to sleep in? Also, Enzo is stealing the whole couch." Elena pouted.

Caroline reached into her wardrobe and tossed a t-shirt to Elena before calling out the living room. "Lorenzo St John, that couch is big enough for two! Don't be a dick!" She turned back to Elena and grinned. "Sorted, or he'll have me to answer to."

Elena giggled and returned back to the living room in the t-shirt, her face free of makeup. The only issue was, her friend was much shorter than herself. Which meant the shirt that fell down the brunettes mid-thigh, barely covered Elena's bum.

"Move over Enzo." Elena ordered, climbing over Enzo's legs and laying down on the couch, pulling the blanket over herself. Elena had her head one end of the couch and Enzo the other.

"I thought you'd ditched me for Care's bed." He teased.

Elena laughed. "You think she'd give up half her bed? You've known her longer than me!" Elena's phone buzzed and she reached for it.

Enzo chuckled. "There are ways. Just not when she's drunk and stubborn."

She ignored him and read the message.

**Damon Salvatore: **_You've hardly spoken to me all week, everything okay?_

Elena sighed and tapped out a reply.

**Elena Gilbert: **_Im fibe xxx_

It didn't take long for another reply to ping through.

**Damon Salvatore: **_Are you drunk, Gilbert?_

**Elena Gilbert: **_Maybe xxx_

**Damon Salvatore: **_Then tell me this, why are you avoiding me? Did I do something, E?_

Damon was hurt his friend didn't seem to want to talk to him. She had ignored his messages and pretty much avoided him all week at work and he wanted to know _why._ If he had upset her, he needed to know how to fix it. Because he would just hate if he had upset her. After their little drunken rendezvous, he thought they had cleared things up, but apparently not. A few minutes later, he received a reply, and it was not what he was expecting.

**Elena Gilbert: **_Because whenever I'm around you, I want to rip your clothes off and kiss you and fuck you. And whatever I do, I can't make those feeling go away. That's what you did._

She pressed reply before thinking about it and tossed her phone on the floor, turning over and trying to get some sleep.

**Well, how is Damon supposed to react to that? ;) Tell me what you think!**

**I hope you enjoyed, please leave a review, that would be lovely. Love you all!**

**-P x**


	7. Delicate

**A/N: So, here's another chapter! It's more of a filler but trust me, there are exciting things to come, I can promise that! I hope you enjoy.**

**7: **_**Delicate**_

Elena awoke somewhere between 5 and 6am, squashed into an uncomfortable position on the on the couch. Enzo was fully comatose, spread out, leaving herself with very little space to sleep. The brunette sleepily crawled off the couch and went to the kitchen to retrieve a glass of water before climbing next to Caroline in bed, in hope of some half decent sleep. She was still very drunk, so even attempting to make her way home to her own bed at this point was not going to happen.

Caroline woke first, confused when she felt an arm wrapped around her waist. She thought it was maybe Enzo but quickly realised it couldn't be from the serious lack of arm hair. She turned over to find Elena snuggled up behind her, fast asleep. _Cheeky little minx, _she mused, letting a smile pass her lips. She pried herself away from Elena and stood up, slipping on her dressing gown. She found Enzo passed out in the living room taking up the whole of the couch and now understood why Elena has made her way into her bed. She went into the kitchen started the coffee machine up, desperately needing a caffeine fix, starting to tidy the disarray of bottles and glasses while waiting for the water to boil. It wasn't much longer until Elena found her way into the kitchen.

"Coffee…" She grumbled, pulling herself up onto the kitchen counter, her long bare legs dangling freely.

Caroline giggled at the sight of her friend, hungover with her hair piled up into a nest on top of her head and dark circles under her eyes. "The coffee is brewing, Hun."

"You were warm and you left." The brunette pouted, clearly still half asleep.

Another giggle passed Caroline's lips. "Was Enzy taking up the whole couch?" Elena nodded, still pouting. "Here, drink up. You'll feel better." Caroline passed Elena a mug of steaming coffee then continued to tidy the kitchen.

Elena took a careful sip of the coffee, cradling the mug in her hands. "Can I take a shower?" A shower would definitely help with the state she was in right now, plus she was sure she stank of smoke and alcohol.

"Of course." The blonde replied. "Let me grab you a clean towel." Elena was perplexed how someone could be so cheery after a night of heavy drinking, but that was Caroline for you.

Elena jumped down from the counter and followed her friend to the bathroom where she laid out a clean towel and showed her how to work the shower. Once she had showered, Elena felt considerably better. She changed into a pair of leggings and sweater that Caroline had placed on the bed for her and returned to the kitchen for the rest of her coffee. In the short time, Caroline had managed to clean the kitchen and was now working on the living room. That girl worked fast.

By the evening, Elena was back in her apartment. Caroline had dropped her home and she was alone again. She turned the TV on to break the silence and started working through her script. An hour passed and she was bored of going through the same part over again, too tired to make any work she did productive. After a while of pacing, she plonked herself down on the couch and sighed, reaching for her phone.

She absent mindedly opened Damon's contact on her phone, thinking she should probably text him back. After all, she had been ignoring him for the past few days in attempt to clear her head, but to no avail. She may as well admit defeat and text him back. And that was when she saw the message.

'_Because whenever I'm around you, I want to rip your clothes off and kiss you and fuck you. And whatever I do, I can't make those feeling go away. That's what you did.'_

What? Fucking _what?!_ She cursed out loud, reading the message over and over as things started to click into place. She had sent it last night before she passed out. She didn't remember she had even written it until now. What the fuck had she done?!

Damon had done nothing all day except nurse himself through most of a bottle of whiskey. He was going stir crazy in his hotel room and it may also be partially to do with the text he had received from Elena the previous night. He didn't know what to do or how to reply. So he didn't. He just kept drinking until he figured out what to do. Or _not _do. The reality was, he liked Elena, but it couldn't have come with the worst timing. He had become pretty hopeless with relationships, always getting swept up and only realising it was going south until it was too late. It always ended the same, he wanted one thing, his partner wanted another so he was staying clear of women. Except for the odd hook-up he would be shameful to admit. That was until Elena came along. She was beautiful, funny and her passion for life was something more attractive than any of the above.

Damon sighed and finished the rest of the whiskey in the glass, deciding to call Alaric. Surely he would be up for doing something. It was a Saturday night after all and drinking alone was just _sad. _About an hour later he ended up meeting Alaric in a bar somewhere in Studio City. He was already pretty drunk so ordered a beer, telling himself to take it slow. Because if he didn't he was likely to do something he would regret. _Damn_ that gorgeous doe eyed girl.

"You're smashed aren't you, Damon?" Alaric questioned with a raised eyebrow. He knew Damon well enough to know he wasn't sober. "Something bothering you?"

Damon took a sip of his beer and leaned back in the seat of the booth they were sitting in. The place was pretty busy, being a Saturday night and all, filled with all sorts of leggy blondes and other Hollywood types. "Just going stir crazy in that hotel room." He sighed, taking another sip of beer.

"You should have said something, man. I'll get you a list of contacts for short term lets. We can't have you living in a hotel." He took a drink then pulled out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. "Smoke?"

Damon nodded, sliding out the booth and following Alaric to the smoking area, just missing the door frame and making it out in one piece. He took a cigarette from the packet and lit it, taking a long drag. "Thanks."

"So, how is working with Elena? You knew each other before, am I right?" He lit his own cigarette and slid the packet back in his pocket.

What _was_ it like to work with Elena? Fucking torture, yet amazing at the same time. That brunette had managed to crawl herself right into his head and she wouldn't get out, no matter _how_ many brain cells he killed with drink. "I did. It's great, she's an amazing actress. I think I'm going to learn a lot from her." He took a swig of beer, followed by a drag of his cigarette, blowing smoke into the cool night air.

"I thought so. I agree, she's fantastic. I'm excited about this movie. It's different from anything I've written before if you hadn't noticed." He let out a chuckle.

"Well, you have a great leading man." He gave Alaric a wink, flashing that devilish grin of his.

"Shut up Damon, you're drunk." He laughed and stubbed out his cigarette, turning his attention to the beer in his hand.

They stayed out for a couple more beers before Damon realised he should probably try and find his bed. He was going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning, that was for sure. He left the bar and made his way down the street in search of a taxi. After walking for about twenty minutes without a taxi in sight, he recognised where he was and realised Elena's apartment was only round the corner. He peered at his phone, trying to focus the screen into one, instead of the two he was currently seeing. It was just past midnight, she would probably still be up and surely it would be rude not to pop in and say hello. That's how his drunk brain worked anyway.

Elena frowned as her buzzer sounded, not once but three times. She pressed the button on the intercom to talk, wondering who the hell was calling in at midnight on a Saturday.

"Lena!" A muffled voice slurred.

Her frown turned into a quizzical look. "Damon? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came to say hello to my beautiful friend!"

She pressed the button, releasing the door and waited for him to come up the stairs. Why on earth was Damon turning up at her apartment at midnight, drunk? A few minutes later, she saw him turn up the last section of stairs, clinging onto the handrail like he was climbing mount Everest.

"So many steps." He mumbled, his frown turning into a grin when he reached the top. "Hey!"

She opened the door to let him in and he passed by her, sending a waft of whiskey, beer and cigarettes her way. "Someone's been having a good night." She raised her eyebrows, taking in his appearance.

"I was having a drink with Ric and we were talking about you. So I thought, hey, why not go and see my good friend Elena. And here I am!" He honestly looked so proud of himself, it was almost adorable.

"I can see that. But can you see that it's past midnight?" She pursed her lips. It wasn't that she didn't want to see Damon, it was the fact that he had shown up on her doorstep, unannounced and drunk at midnight.

He scratched the back of his head, giving her a sheepish smile.

"Sit down on the couch, I'll make you some coffee and call you a cab. How does that sound?" She reasoned, pointing to the couch in the living room where she had been sitting peacefully just a few short minutes earlier.

"Probably a good idea." He sat himself down on the couch and let out a long breath. He was _very_ drunk and his bed was probably the best place for him right now.

Elena went to the kitchen and turned on the coffee machine, ready to brew a coffee for Damon. What was he thinking? Elena was trying to figure out what was going on in her head and this little stunt of his was not helping. But still, he was her friend. And friends look after each other when they are being drunk and stupid. It's a written rule. When she returned to the living room, she found Damon fast asleep on the couch, snoring away. She couldn't help but let a smile pass her lips as she placed the coffee down on the table for him. She grabbed a blanket from her room and placed it over him and also placed a pint glass of water down next to the coffee. He sure as hell was going to need it when he woke up, that was for sure. She turned all the lights off and went to bed, closing the door behind her.

A thud followed by a groan came from the living room. Elena set her mop against the wall in the kitchen and walked through to investigate. She had woken up around 8am and had spent the last hour cleaning her kitchen, doing her laundry and cleaning the dishes that she had neglected to do during the week. She found Damon face down on the floor next to the couch, hair sticking up in all directions. She let out a small chuckle, folding her arms in amusement.

"You okay there, sunshine?" She raised her eyebrows as he emitted another groan.

"No…" He slowly hauled his ass off the floor and back onto the couch, looking up at Elena with a sorry look on his face.

"Feeling a bit fragile, are we?" She picked up the cups from the coffee table and took them to the kitchen, placing them into the sink.

Damon grumbled, and stood up, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders and followed Elena into the kitchen, perching himself on stool. He didn't quite know what to say, he'd made a pretty dick move, turning up on Elena's doorstep last night and now she appeared to be on a furious cleaning mission. He really wanted to get out of her way but his hangover had other ideas.

"Hey, Lena?" He spoke, trying to get Elena's attention. "I'm sorry." He grovelled, giving her his best apologetic look. "You should have just thrown me out or put me in a cab."

Elena let out a chuckle, drying her hands on a piece of kitchen towel. "I tried to call you a cab but you were out cold, snoring away before I could!"

"Yeah, sorry about that...can I get something to drink?" He didn't want to ask but his tongue felt like sandpaper against the roof of his mouth and he wanted to get rid of the taste of alcohol and stale smoke.

Elena grabbed a carton of orange juice from the fridge and poured him a glass, handing it to him. "Here. Hey, do you want to get breakfast? I'm kinda hungry and I have nothing in."

Damon took a drink from the glass of juice, then another, draining the entire glass. "Mmm, just give me a minute…" He rubbed his temples feeling the cool liquid run down his throat.

"Look, take a shower, clean towels are in the cabinet and I'll find you a clean t-shirt to wear. I'm sure you'll feel better then."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "I'm not sure how I feel about wearing your clothes, Lena."

Elena laughed. "It's a man's shirt. I wear them sometimes, they're comfy. But go shower, you stink."

"Gee, thanks Gilbert." Damon chuckled and slid off the stool, slinking off to the bathroom.

He closed the door behind him and opened the cabinet, pulling out a towel and stood up far too quickly, his stomach churning. After a moment, he just about managed to turn on the shower and strip down naked, waiting for the water to heat up. He stepped in, enjoying the feeling of the warm water run down him, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. He slowly opened his eyes, pushing his soaked hair back from his face, looking at the array of bottles and potions on the rack. He just wanted some simple body wash but every bottle was so pretty and, well, _girly_, he couldn't tell what was what. He picked up a lime green bottle and squinted at the label. _Douche du corps _the bottle read. That was some sort of body wash, right? He squeezed some into his hand and lathered up his body, running the rest through his hair. In this state, he was not fit to find another product to wash his hair with. A thought crossed his mind that he was standing naked in Elena Gilbert's shower. An _inappropriate _thought about how nice it would be if she was in here with him. Rinsing off the suds, he pushed that thought from his mind, turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping himself in the huge fluffy towel. Damn, this was better than the towels the hotel provided.

Hearing the water start, Elena returned to her room and stripped off her pyjamas, opening the drawer for a clean bra and panties. She took her damp hair down from the topknot, not bothering to dry it after her earlier shower and brushed through her tresses, blasting it with the hair dryer, too lazy to style it in any particular way. With the dryer on, she didn't hear Damon knocking on the door or him walking in. She switched the dryer off and turned around, only to be met with Damon, dripping wet and only covered by the towel around his waist. Damon was tantalized with the sight of so much bare skin on show and her hair flowing freely in their natural waves, his jaw practically dropping to the floor.

"Damon, shit.." She mumbled, diving for her bathrobe, quickly covering herself.

He sniggered. "Sorry, I knocked. I didn't realise…" He was amused by her flustered state and smirked. "It's not like I haven't seen it all before."

Elena shot him a glare, folding her arms, shock turning into annoyance. "There's a clean shirt on the bed. Get yourself dressed." She left her bedroom, closed the door behind her and groaned. She didn't mean to react like that. It was just, he was stood there, pretty much naked, water running down his bare, toned chest and it just _did_ something to her. Something she was desperately trying to lay to rest. They got drunk, fooled around and that was it. It was done. So why the hell was she reacting like this?

She managed to find an outfit in the dryer, saving herself from returning to her bedroom while Damon was in there. She pulled on a pair of jeans, wiggling them over her hips and a turtle neck jumper which she tucked into the front of the jeans. She grabbed her sunglasses from the kitchen counter and was more or less ready. Taking a seat on the couch, she scrolled through Instagram on her phone, waiting for Damon. A picture of Alaric and Damon popped up, presumably from last night. They were both holding a glass of bourbon to the camera, the glazed look in Damon's eyes and the all to big smile plastered across his face gave some indication into just _how_ drunk he was. And then there was a photograph of her dog, posted by her sister, Isobel. A pang hit her stomach and she realised just how much she missed home. She would give anything to be curled up on the couch with her family and her fur baby right now.

Damon emerged from her bedroom, looking much better than he did first thing this morning. For one, his hair had been tamed and he was actually wearing a shirt that didn't stink of cigarettes and booze. She smiled, pushing all her thoughts to the back of her mind and stood up, slipping her phone into her back pocket.

"Shall we, Salvatore?" Maybe breakfast would actually give them an opportunity to talk.

They ended up having breakfast in a diner, because frankly, Elena was desperate for some good old carbs. She ordered herself a stack of pancakes while Damon just nursed a coffee, still too hungover to consider food right now. When the pancakes arrived, she felt her mouth salivate, excited to tuck in.

"Are you on set tomorrow?" She asked with a mouthful of pancakes.

He shook his head. "I do have one last fitting though. I think. What day is it tomorrow?"

Elena let out a laugh, shaking her head. "Monday, Damon. Today is Sunday and yesterday was Saturday, which you drank."

"Yeah…" He took a long swig of his coffee and picked up a menu, squinting at it. "What's the most greasy thing on the menu?"

"I don't know. How about an all-day breakfast? Or a sausage and bacon sandwich?" She replied, glancing over at the menu.

Damon pulled a face, running his hand over his stubble. "I think I just want fries."

"Get fries then sweetie." She chuckled, stuffing another forkful of pancakes in her mouth, hoping that he wouldn't notice the pet name that had accidently slipped out.

Damon simply put his head in his hands and groaned. He was someone who liked to drink but this hangover was something else. And he was pretty sure it had something to do with the dark haired girl sitting at the table opposite him. But he had sworn he would not get involved with someone he worked with. Because it was inevitable that it would get messy quickly.

"Look Lena, I need to go. I need try and sleep this hangover off." He pulled out his wallet and placed a twenty on the table. "That's for breakfast. And again, I'm sorry about last night." He slid out of the booth and pulled his jacket on.

"Okay, hopefully I'll see you tomorrow?" But he was gone before he probably heard her. She let out a deep sigh, finishing off her breakfast before heading home to prepare for tomorrow. So much for talking things through. She still needed to go over her lines and her notes for tomorrow's scenes anyway. And phone her sister. They desperately needed a catch up.

**Can someone tell these two to stop drowning their sorrows in alcohol and actually talk? ;)**

**I hope you enjoyed and if you did, pretty please leave me a lovely review? It will be very much appreciated!**

**-P x**


	8. So It Goes

**A/N: Hello! So here's another chapter. I'm having major writers block on Nothing Else Matters but I'm **_**trying**_** to work through it. Anyway, this is probably not what you're hoping but trust me, things will be heating up in the next one. ;)**

**8: So It Goes**

Monday nights were never eventful for Caroline while she was between work. She still had a couple of months before she started shooting the new season of World of Storms, but right now she had nothing much to do. Usually she might hang out with Elijah or Enzo, or hang out with the guy she was seeing, but truthfully, that wasn't going very well right now.

Caroline had been dating a guy called Tyler Lockwood for a couple of months now, but whenever she tried to discuss with him where they were at, he just shut her down. She liked him, she just couldn't keep seeing someone if they weren't on the same page and the relationship was going nowhere. If it was just sex, _fine_, but she wanted to know where she stood. She sighed and took her phone out, texting one person she could probably count on.

Elena was curled up on the couch in pyjamas with her hair still damp from the shower. She had been on set all day shooting the first few scenes, and quite frankly, her mind was whirling. This was her first movie and there had been so much to learn and take onboard. She loved every minute of it, but it was exhausting.

Damon hadn't been there either, as he wasn't in any of the scenes, which was a good thing. They still needed to talk, but that didn't need to happen at work. All her scenes had been with Rebekah, a British actress who seemed really nice. They had shared a few jokes between takes, so overall, it had been a pretty good day.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table and Elena's stomach clenched, guessing it was Damon. Thankfully it wasn't.

**Caroline Forbes: **_Mind if I come over? Xx_

Elena smiled and quickly tapped out a reply. An evening with her blonde friend seemed like a pretty good idea, actually.

**Elena Gilbert:** _Of course. Just a warning though, I'm in my pyjamas. Xx_

**Caroline Forbes:**_ I'm on my way. And don't worry, me too. ;) xx_

Dressed in navy penguin pyjamas, Caroline had jumped in her car and put on a random playlist as she made her way to Elena's. Thankfully, it was late on a Monday night and the roads were pretty clear, so her journey didn't take her long at all. As parked and exited her car, she noticed a man from Elena's building leaving and rushed to wedge her foot in the door, preventing it from closing and allowing her to slip into the building and rush up the stairs to Elena's apartment. Rapping twice on the door with her knuckles, she waited for her friend to answer so that their 'pyjama evening' could commence.

Elena skipped over to the door and opened it when she heard a knock, looking at her friend quizzically. "How did you get in a locked door?" She teased, sticking her head out, before letting the blonde in. The fact she had already had almost two glasses of wine would explain this.

"I was a burglar in another life," Caroline laughed, Elena's head peeping through the space between door-frame and door. As she entered the house, shrugging her jacket off and exposing her pyjamas, she admitted, "Some man was coming out and I basically wouldn't let him close the door behind him. If he thought I looked dodgy, he certainly didn't show it!"

"Maybe he felt threatened by you." The brunette teased, walking over to the couch.

"Sure, a blonde wearing penguin pyjamas has been spotted on the most wanted list." Caroline scoffed, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Want some wine?" She offered, picking up her own glass and sitting down on the couch."

Following Elena over to the wine she found herself laughing, thinking back to the text she had sent Tyler previously in the evening. 'Everything is easier with wine' she had claimed and, as fate would have it, Elena seemed to think so too.

"Yes, please. But just a small glass," she replied, shooting a warning look in her friend's direction, knowing all too well how big the glasses she poured could be.

Elena laughed at her response as she stepped into the kitchen to retrieve a glass for the blonde. "A _small _glass?" She repeated, emphasis on the word small.

Caroline nodded, watching the glass fill up with wine. "Perfect," she said, when Elena pulled back from pouring the unusually small glass.

"You make me feel guilty about already being on my second." She added, wishing she had poured the blonde a full glass, but the warning look her friend sent her was a threat in itself.

"Oh don't feel guilty," she laughed, shaking her head. "I just promised I'd meet a friend for a drink tomorrow and I really don't think I can turn up with a hangover…" She screwed her nose up and shook her head; thinking back to the 'Oh my God, Thor is so beautiful' outburst she had had last time she had spoken to the actor. No, she couldn't risk another one of those conversations.

"Is turning up still drunk not an option either?" She joked, draining the rest of her second Elena sized glass. "Please confiscate the wine at some point. Not too early, so that i'll kill you, but not too late that I start drunk dialling Damon, then end up over the toilet, vomiting." She frowned at what she had said, deciding to let it pass.

"If the calls aren't to Damon, am I still to confiscate the phone?" She sniggered. "But, no, I promise I'll confiscate the wine _and_ the phone if need be."

"Yes, you are to confiscate the phone whatever. I don't need anyone else thinking i'm an alcoholic nutcase." She stated, pulling her legs up underneath herself, placing her empty glass down. "Which I'm not doing a very good job of proving against right now." She added as an afterthought, starting to feel a little buzzed from the alcohol.

"So Damon," Caroline began, "I know you slept together, but what's the latest?" Tugging her hair forward over her shoulder, she sipped her wine as she waited for the details.

Elena sighed, knowing she best spill. Her friend would get it out of her if she was willing or not, anyway. "So, you know he's working on Twenties Girl with me?" The blonde nodded. "Well, I drunk texted him the night of your party and quite graphically told him what I wanted to do to him." She screwed her face up, cringing at the memory.

"You did _not!_" Caroline gasped, waiting for the brunette to continue.

"I did." Elena confirmed, sighing. "The last night, two nights ago, he turned up here at midnight, drunk as a skunk." Caroline raised her eyebrows. "He passed out before anything could happen." Elena explained, before her friend started to get other ideas.

"Did you two at least get a chance to talk?"

Elena shook her head. "We went for breakfast the morning after. He was feeling pretty embarrassed I think, but he ran off before we even got a chance to talk things through. We're not filming any scenes together until next week, but I kind of want to get things cleared up before then, you know?"

"Probably for the best." Caroline agreed.

"Anyway, enough about me. What's going on with you and that guy Tyler you've been seeing?" Elena was desperate to change the subject onto anything that wasn't her own drama.

The blonde sighed. "I don't really know to be honest. He's great, but I don't really see it going much further. Plus, I'll be flying all over the place in the new year when I start filming again so probably best not to get into anything serious." She reasoned, drinking from her glass.

Elena reached for the bottle and refilled her glass, taking a swig. "Guys suck." The brunette mused, letting out a laugh.

"Exactly. We're strong, independent women who don't need no man."

The two continued to chat and enjoy the wine until it got pretty late and Elena found herself yawning. After consuming wine, Caroline decided it was best she didn't drive home and instead, stayed the night at Elena's. Elena moved the empty wine glasses to the kitchen and placed the empty bottles on the side to recycle later.

"You can sleep on the couch if you want, but I don't mind if you climb in bed with me. I'd quite like a spooning partner." The brunette waggled her eyebrows playfully.

Caroline laughed. "Gilbert, you are drunk, but I won't turn down that offer since the guys in our lives suck so bad." And Elena couldn't help but agree.

Despite the slight hangover she was suffering from, thanks to the wine she had consumed the night before, her day on set ran pretty smoothly. Caroline had dropped her off before heading back to her own place and Elena had got to work rehearsing the days scenes with Rebekah who was playing her Great Aunt Sadie. Thankfully she didn't need to spend as long as her co-star in hair and makeup; it was only Rebekah that needed to get into full 1920's costume, it gave her time to get herself together and her mind focused on work, _not_ the blue eyed devil who invaded her thoughts. Before long she was being called to set and for the next few hours she became Lara and she could push everything from her mind.

By the time they broke for lunch, Elena was starving. She made her way over to Craft Services and loaded her plate up with all sorts of food and snacks, positive she wouldn't be able to button her trousers afterwards, but that was a problem for later. She took her phone out and opened the message app while she ate. She shot Caroline a quick 'thank you for last night' text, to which she replied, 'I'll be your booty call anytime'. She giggled at the response then clicked on Damon's name.

**Elena Gilbert:** _Any chance we could meet up and run over the scenes for next Monday? xx_

She did want to go through the scenes before they got to set, but she also hoped it would give them a chance to talk. Caroline was right, they didn't need any awkwardness at work if it could be avoided. She locked her phone and placed it down on the table, going back to her food and awaiting a reply.

Damon found himself hating being in a hotel room more and more as the days passed. He was trying to learn his lines for the scenes the following week, but he just couldn't seem to focus while he was cooped up. He let out a sigh and stuffed his script in his bag, slipping his phone and keys in the bag before leaving the hotel. Maybe he needed to take up Ric's offer of helping him find an actual apartment. He made his way a little way down the street until he came across a bar and stepped inside. Taking a seat in a small booth, he ordered a drink and pulled out his script. If anything could help him focus, it was bourbon.

Just as he was starting to concentrate on the task in hand, he felt his phone vibrate against his leg in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a message from Elena. The two hadn't spoken since the little stunt he pulled at the weekend. It wasn't like him to be affected by a girl he slept with, but this one had got him good. She was so sweet and kind hearted and he didn't deserve her. So avoiding the brunette had been his best option, although he wouldn't be able to do that much longer. Maybe it was time to bite the bullet and confront his feelings.

**Damon Salvatore:** _Come over this weekend and we'll go through it. Hope your day is going well. D x_

**So, does this mean they are actually going to talk? Or **_**not**_** talk. ;)**

**Please review and let me know what you think. Lots of love.**

**-P x**


	9. Sparks Fly

**A/N: Both stories updated in the same night? I am on a roll! So, things start to heat up in this chapter, hopefully in the way that you like ;) Any suggestions are very much welcome and please tell me what you think!**

**9: Sparks Fly**

Damon sighed as he unpacked his laptop, script and notebook from his bag. The rest of the week flew by and before long it was Sunday. Damon had his first day on set shooting the following morning and he and Elena still hadn't met up to discuss things. He really was doing well with avoiding her but enough was enough. Elena was now heading over to rehearse a scene they were shooting the following day. She told him she was unsure about how to play the scene, so he offered to read through with her so they could make a decision together.

The problem was, he was getting sick of living in a hotel room. He had been within the same four walls for three weeks now and was going insane. The main issue was the lack of a proper kitchen. He loved to cook and prepare his own food, and with nothing more than a microwave and mini fridge, his eating habits had become awful. Pre-packaged sandwiches and microwave meals were not a way to live, because let's face it, eating out in LA every night soon became rather expensive. It was almost like he had become a student again.

Elena arrived a short while later, knocking on his hotel room door. He jumped up from the bed and went to let her in.

"Hey Lena." He gave her a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek, allowing her to enter the room. They had agreed to remain professional while they worked on the movie but Damon couldn't help but feel intoxicated by her presence, every time he was around her. It was as if that drunken night together had unlocked a door, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't close it now.

"Hey!" She grinned hugging him back before entering the room. She placed her handbag down on the floor and held up another bag in front of him. "I brought dinner. Home cooked and healthy. I thought you could do with some proper food." She placed the bag down on the desk and pulled out several containers as well as cutlery for the two of them.

Damon couldn't help but feel complete gratitude towards Elena. He hadn't asked her to bring food, nor had he directly complained to her about the woes of living in a hotel room. But here she was, unpacking a proper meal for the two of them. And on top of all that she had been on set all day, god only knows where she had found the time to make food.

"What are we eating?" He grinned, walking over to her, already smelling the meal. It was things like this, he concluded, that drew him to her. She was so sweet and kind, always doing things for others. Even when he had been a complete ass towards her.

"Sweet and sour chicken and vegetable stir fry. With noodles. Help yourself!" She grabbed a container and sat down in the edge of the bed.

Damon followed suit, tucking into the food. "This is amazing!" He said with a mouthful of noodles. He gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning his attention back to the food.

Once they had finished eating, Elena grabbed her script from her bag, opening it to the scene they wanted to rehearse. "So Ed and Lara are on the date and now they're up by the Hollywood sign, looking over the whole city," She points to the highlighted text in the script, looking at Damon, "and then of course, Sadie appears again."

"Who Ed doesn't know about yet." He added, placing the empty food container on the desk and grabbed his own script, turning to the right page.

"So, Lara's freak out is justified when a ghost starts screaming at her, ruining their date. But Sadie has already ruined so much for Lara, she just wanted this for herself. And the mood changes very quickly." She grabbed a pencil from her bag and jotted down a few notes on the side of the script.

"We can speak to Noel about that tomorrow morning. So this scene, we're up on the hill and the sun is setting and you kiss me. Is _that_ the part you wanted to rehearse? Because we could definitely practice that." He teased, wagging his eyebrows and flashing her his signature smirk.

Elena slapped his arm. "No! It's the conversation when everything flips and falls apart."

Damon rubbed his arm, pouting. "Okay, let's get on with this scene. Before you beat me to a pulp."

"Oh, don't pretend that hurt." Elena shot back, fighting back a grin.

They rehearsed the scene, stopping and starting to discuss parts of it. Almost an hour later, they reached the end of the scene. Elena delivered her last line, her face inches from Damon's. This was the part where the kiss took place. She thought back to Damon's comment before; practicing the kiss wouldn't be a _horrible_ idea, but there were lines and that would be crossing them. She quivered under his touch, his breath dusting over her lips. It was then that she realised he hadn't backed away either and was actually leaning in. Her breath hitched in her throat as she felt his lips softly dust against hers and her eyes fluttered closed but he pulled away as quickly as he had kissed her.

"Sorry, I got carried away there." He looked at her apologetically, scratching the back of his neck.

"Stop talking." She mumbled, pressing her lips to his, suddenly giving in to her every desire. It was like her brain was no longer controlling her body and her common sense had completely left. She wove her hands into his hair, her nails gently grazing his scalp.

Damon was shocked but soon settled into the kiss, snaking his arms around his waist.

He pulled her body flush against his own closing the gap between them, his splayed hand resting on the small of her back, slipping his tongue between her lips. He felt her body fit perfectly against his own and he deepened the kiss, tangling one of his hands in her hair, feeling her soft skin against his fingertips as her shirt rode up slightly. He felt a rush of excitement run through his veins. Elena was kissing him. Actually _kissing _him. He broke the kiss first and rested his forehead against Elena's breathing deeply as he stared down into her eyes.

"I thought you didn't want to rehearse that part." He teased, his smirk reappearing on his lips.

She smiled as her forehead rested against his. Her heart was beating heavily and she felt dizzy in excitement. "No." She breathed, not taking a step back or removing her hands from around his waist. "But I thought it was probably a good idea. You know, to cover all bases."

"You think too much." He murmured.

"Huh?" Was all she could reply to that statement, trying to understand what he meant.

"Stop thinking. Just do what feels right." He lifted his hands and placed them on her hips, trying to read the expression in those big doe eyes of hers.

The flirting wasn't innocent anymore. Not after this. And she found herself wondering what to do next. Maybe talking would be a good starting point. Or maybe that could wait while she gave into what she had resisted for far too long. Damon had told her to stop thinking so much, so maybe…

She kissed him again, slipping her fingers under his shirt, touching his soft, warm skin, desperate for more. She had never experienced a kiss like this before. It had never been like this with Matt, not even close and she never wanted it to end. And it was the same for Damon, her touch felt electric and it took everything inside him to break the kiss.

"Lena…" He murmured, their lips still millimetres apart. "You meant it, didn't you? That message…"

Elena pulled away a few inches and frowned. And then it dawned on her. How she had pretty much confessed her feelings towards him over text message while she was drunk last weekend. And how she had just kissed Damon while they were working. "What did you think it meant?" She mused, tilting her head slightly.

"I thought it meant you were drunk and pissed at me and were playing some sort of game. I thought it meant you wanted me to stay away." He spoke, gazing straight into her eyes.

Elena shook her head. "Is that what you got from the text? I'm sorry. I didn't know how to deal with it. But I guess a drunk text wasn't the best idea."

"It's okay. Do you know what you want?" He asked softly.

She shook her head again. _'You!'_ her mind screamed but it wasn't as simple as that. "No…" She answered, still struggling to wrap her mind around everything.

He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on her shoulder, inhaling deeply, the scent of her shampoo filling his nose. "That's okay. I haven't stopped thinking about you, you know? Not since that night we slept together."

Elena closed her eyes. This was the first time she realised Damon had felt the same way. "Me neither." She breathed, softly pressing her lips against his neck.

"I thought it was only me." He chuckled, still holding her.

Elena lifted her head and pressed a kiss to his lips. She was fucking scared. They weren't joking around anymore. Here she was in front of Damon, feeling so much more exposed than she did when she slept with him. Because it wasn't a game anymore. This was real.

"Could this actually work? Because it never ends well when people who work together get involved." She asked placing her hand at the base of his neck and playing with the hair there.

"It's up to you. But we're only shooting this movie for two months." He replied, giving her a warm smile and pressing another kiss to her lips.

Elena smiled into the kiss and slipped her hands under the front of his shirt, running her hands up his chest. "We could wait until we're done shooting…" She suggested but continued feeling his ripping muscles beneath the fabric of his t-shirt.

"Then you need to stop doing what you're doing." Her touch was like fire to him; he could hardly think straight. Everything she said was rational and reasonable but what she _did_ was a different story.

Elena looked up to him, desire radiating deep within her eyes. "I don't want to wait two months." She murmured.

Damon took that as confirmation and backed her towards the bed until she fell back onto it and crawled on top of her, claiming her lips in a hungry kiss. She reciprocated, her hands finding their way back into his hair. He kissed down her jaw to her neck, smiling into the soft skin.

"I think you should stay here tonight." He'd wanted her so much, and now that she was here, he never wanted her to leave.

Elena smiled, settling her hand on the back of his neck. "But I have no clothes here."

"You can wear my clothes." He smirked, kissing the spot on her neck that drove her crazy; something etched into his mind from the last night they shared together.

Her head dropped back onto the pillow, trying to get her mouth to form the words, which was rather difficult with a blue eyed man sucking on her neck. "I can't walk onto set wearing your clothes, Damon."

He nipped the skin on her neck and she let out a soft moan. "I still have your t-shirt." He slipped a hand up her shirt, running his fingers on the lace band of her bra.

'Is it clean?" She arched her back under his touch, her eyes fluttering closed.

"No…" He smirked and rolled his hips into hers, letting her feel how hard he already was, kissing her with more intent than before.

Suddenly she wasn't bothered anymore about the fact she was more than likely going to spend the night and didn't have any clothes for the next day. Or that any professionalism had gone right out of the window. The only thing she could think about right now was how the only thing she wanted was his cock buried deep inside of her.

Damon sat up and pulled his t-shirt over his head, followed by removing Elena's. He settled his hand over her bra, feeling her breast through the lace fabric, her nipple quickly rising to attention under his touch. He kissed down her neck and chest, inching two fingers under her bra, feeling the soft skin there. Elena let out a moan. He was barely doing anything but she was so fucking turned on right now.

"Are you sure about this?" Damon murmured, kissing her neck softly.

"Hmm." Was the only sound she managed to get out, grinding her hips into his and pulling his lips to hers. And that was all he needed.

**Boom! Leave a review and tell me what you thought.**

**-P x**


	10. How You Get The Girl

**A/N: Here's another chapter, thanks to your lovely response to the last one. It's literally just fluff and smut so I hope you enjoy that ;)**

**Big things will be happening soon as the next plot kicks in, so I hope you're excited for that. Anyway, on with the chapter!**

**10: **_**How You Get The Girl**_

The next morning when Elena awoke, everything felt different. Damon's bare chest was pressed against her back with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. His face was buried in the crook of her neck and she could feel him breathing softly against her shoulder. She closed her eyes again and snuggled deeper into him, not wanting to leave his warmth. Any minute now her alarm would go off but she didn't want this perfect moment of just the two of them to be broken, where it felt like the world couldn't touch them. Damon ran his hand down her side and settled it on her ass, giving a gentle squeeze. Elena turned around to face him smiling, her face inches away from his.

"Good morning." He mumbled, his voice deep and husky.

She moved her hand to the small of his back, pulling him a little closer. "Morning sweetie. So, I think we should just stay here all day." She mumbled sleepily.

"Mm, so do I. But I think we would be getting some pretty angry phone calls if we did." He placed a gentle kiss on her lips and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "If you get up now, I might just join you in the shower." He suggested.

Elena smirked. "I think you have yourself a deal there." She rolled away from Damon and swung her legs out of bed, standing up. Damon watched her walk to the bathroom completely naked, taking mental pictures that would just about get him through the day until he could have her all to himself again.

Elena turned the water on and ran her fingers through her hair in attempt to detangle it slightly. As soon as the water was warm, she stepped under the stream, enjoying the feeling as it washed over her. It wasn't long before she felt Damon's hands on her waist. She leaned into his touch, pressing her back into his chest.

"You're so fucking sexy all wet and naked." He murmured into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine and a rush of heat between her legs.

And that was all it took for Elena to become putty in his hands. He backed her against the shower wall and was soon on his knees with his head between her legs. She threw her head against the wall as he expertly flicked his tongue in just the right way that had her coming undone in minutes, her legs trembling as she used Damon to keep herself standing. He stood up and kissed her hard, slipping his tongue into her mouth, letting her taste herself on his tongue. This was hands down the hottest thing anyone had ever done to her but Damon wasn't finished there. His erection pressing against hard her stomach was proof of that.

He hooked a leg around his hip and guided the tip of his penis to her centre, teasing for a moment before entering her fully. A breathy moan escaped both their lips as they adjusted to the feeling before he started moving, gripping her body to keep her standing upright. Elena gripped his shoulders for support and pulled him into a deep, hungry kiss as he thrust into her. It was a wonder how they both had any stamina left after the previous night.

"Fuck…" Elena groaned, biting her lip as she approached her second climax.

"Don't hold back, baby, I'm right behind you." He breathed, feeling her clench around him, which was quickly becoming one of his new favourite things.

After a few more thrusts, she fell over the edge and, as promised, Damon came right after her, dropping his head onto her shoulder, breathing heavily. He dusted kisses on her shoulder as they recovered, then they helped each other wash off before they regretfully left the shower to get ready for work.

"Hurry up Lena, we're going to be late!" Damon exclaimed as he finished packing his bag. Elena emerged from the bathroom with almost, but still not quite dry hair.

"Have you seen how much hair I have? What time is it?" She grabbed her hairbrush and ran it through her tresses again, deciding that this would have to do. She had ended up wearing one of Damon's t-shirts, tucking the front into her jeans. Not that it really mattered what she wore anyway. As soon as she got on set, she would be straight in wardrobe and hair and makeup.

"Seven thirty. We won't have time to stop for coffee now." He stated matter of factly, knowing that statement would hurry her up.

Elena responded with a grumble. She slipped her shoes on, followed by her jacket. "Who's fault is that?" She teased recalling their earlier shower antics, picking up her handbag.

"Hey, it was worth it." He grinned, pulling her in for a kiss.

"You're making us even later." She mumbled against his lips. "I'm pretty sure the car is waiting downstairs."

"It can wait a minute while I kiss you." Damon murmured. Elena smiled, sinking into the kiss, enjoying the last few moments before they had to spend the day acting professional.

Their day on set had been long. And apart from their scenes together, they had managed to keep distance with each other, no matter how hard it was. Rebekah, who was playing Sadie, had taken to Damon quickly and she couldn't help feel a pang of jealousy as they joked around on set together, but Elena quickly reminded herself she had nothing to worry about. Damon wasn't her ex and what did it matter if they joked around in between takes?

Being Damon's first proper day on set, it was safe to say he was having a blast. But when they wrapped for the day, Damon couldn't wait to take Elena home. The little innocent touches she subconsciously made in passing, a touch on the shoulder, a hand on his arm, fingers on his hips, had gradually driven him crazy throughout the course of the day. And the fact he couldn't just kiss her there in front of everyone made his pent up frustration all the worse.

So the second Elena unlocked her door, Damon took her bag from her hands, dropped it on the floor, swung the door closed and pushed her up against it, kissing her deeply. Watching her on set today had been incredible. The passion she put into her work was incredible. He was such a goof for her and she was such a flirt. Who'd have known? All he wanted to do was spend time with her and wake up next to her. He couldn't believe this was happening between them. He was over the moon, flying on cloud nine. When they pulled away from the kiss, Elena bit her lip to fight the huge beaming smile that was forming.

"I'm kind of excited we don't have to be on set until three tomorrow." Elena grinned, slipping her fingers into the back pockets of Damon's jeans.

"It's going to be a late shoot though. And cold." He shuddered, remembering That they would be shooting outside all night on the top of a hill.

"You'll just have to join me in my blanket burrito then." She suggested, smirking.

"You're not taking that huge blanket with you are you?" He raised his eyebrows, glancing over at the huge fluffy pink blanket that she all to often fell asleep wrapped up in, on the couch.

"You bet I am." She placed a kiss on his lips and gently pushed him off from her heading to the kitchen. Damon smirked, watching her ass as she walked away. "What do you wanna eat?" She called, opening the fridge.

Damon walked up behind her, peering into the fridge. "What you got?"

"A whole load of nothing." She frowned. "We could just order takeout?"

"No, I can make us something with this." He grabbed some onions, tomatoes and peppers, left over from when Elena made him the stir fry and placed them on the counter.

Elena watched as he started expertly chopping ingredients. "You really don't have to cook…" she started, leaning against the counter.

"I want to." He interrupted, holding a finger up when she tried to protest. "Go take a shower or something and I'll let you know when food is ready. If I don't know where something is, I'll come and find you."

"Fine." She sighed, heading towards the bathroom. Elena turned the water on and got undressed, waiting for the water to heat up. She took a cotton pad and poured a little makeup remover onto it, removing her makeup from the day. Once she was done she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Whenever she thought back to the previous night, electricity surged through her body and she couldn't help but smile to herself. She was so happy, it felt like nothing could burst the bubble they were in. That wasn't to say that she didn't feel absolutely terrified, despite her happiness. Damon had sort of crept up out of nowhere and she was pretty sure she was falling for him hard and fast. The thing was, this had never been part of the plan. After her breakup, she just wanted to focus on herself and pursuing her career. She couldn't let herself get caught up in a guy just for it all to turn sour. But she was determined this wouldn't end up like that. She was _sure_ of it.

Definitely feeling more relaxed after her long shower, Elena dried off and slipped her robe on, tying the tie around her waist. She tiptoed back to the kitchen, snaking her arms around Damon's waist from behind.

"Oh, hey there gorgeous." He smiled, inhaling her scent. She smelled all fresh and vanillary.

She grinned, placing a kiss on the side of his neck, before noticing the open bottle of wine on the counter. "Are you drinking my wine, Somerhalder?!" She gasped, playing her best horrified expression.

He turned around, playing along, trying not to laugh. "No, I'm _cooking_ with it." He grinned and pressed a kiss to her lips, settling his hands on her ass. "Are you naked under there?" He raised an eyebrow, changing the subject.

"Quite possibly." She retorted, biting his bottom lip.

"You are a little minx." He growled, claiming her lips in a hungry kiss.

Elena kissed him back just as eagerly, her hands quickly finding their way into his hair. He backed her against the edge of the island counter and lifted her leg, hooking it around his waist pressing himself closer into her body.

When they eventually parted, both breathing heavily, Elena mumbled, "Wine…"

"Huh?" Damon raised his eyebrows, confused.

"You taste like wine. _Cooking _with wine were you?" She giggled, poking him in the chest playfully.

"Taste testing." He nodded matter of factly before claiming her lips again and pushing her robe aside to feel the softness of her skin, sending tingles down her spine. She could feel his hardness pressing into her and was desperate to tear the clothes off his body. Her robe was already forgotten on the floor as his finger tips grazed over her breast. Elena took in a sharp breath, her nipple instantly reacting to his touch.

She reached for his belt, fumbling in a desperate attempt to remove his jeans which he assisted with, pulling his t-shirt off over his head too and lifting her onto the island counter, nipping at a sensitive spot on her neck. She took him into her hands, hard and throbbing, sliding her hands up and down, completely destroying his concentration. She pulled him back in for a kiss, still working her hands, building up a steady rhythm.

"Lena, fuck." He breathed, jerking his hips. Elena smirked and carried on, bringing him to the edge but never quite over it. He took his hand from where it was curled around her hip and teased his fingertips at her entrance, letting out a groan when he felt how ready she was for him. It was like she read his mind as she halted her movements and guided him between her legs, lifting her hips for a little friction before he entered her fully, claiming her lips in a bruising kiss.

With all the teasing, and pent up frustration, they didn't last long, collapsing together in climax, using the island to keep them both in an upright position. Elena was the first to notice a burning smell coming from the stove.

"Damon?" She murmured into his shoulder. "The food."

And with that, he sprung to life, turning off the heat and inspecting the charred mess, working out if any of it was salvageable. It was not. Dinner that night consisted of Chinese takeout and the rest of the red wine Damon intended to cook with, followed by a lot more sex on the couch, the shower and finally in bed where they fell asleep, sated in post climatic bliss.

**I am a pile of goo. So leave a lovely review for me? Much love!**

**-P x**


	11. Starlight

**A/N: Hello! This was a struggle to write, but I think I got there and I hope you like it. Also, If you haven't, please check out my other story Nothing Else Matters. Love you all and on with the chapter!**

**11: **_**Starlight**_

It was gone midnight and Elena was nibbling on a sandwich and nursing a steaming coffee to try and keep herself awake. They were currently between takes and she was trying to do anything to get some energy back into herself to get herself through the next six-ish hours of shooting. But she had to admit, sitting on a hill where she could see the whole of Los Angeles lit up at night, was a breath taking sight.

But what was even more breath taking, according to Damon that was, was watching Elena wrapped up in her big pink blanket, lost in thought as she gazed into the night, her delicate features illuminated by the soft moonlight. He itched to kiss her right there and then, and he would have if it hadn't been for the crew and Alaric lurking about, so he held back. Instead, he saved it for later, when he could have her all to himself. He walked over and sat down on the ground next to her, taking in the view.

"Have you changed your mind about the blanket burrito offer?" She raised her eyebrows, grinning.

"Nope. Damon Salvatore does not wear a pink blanket." He assured her. Because, however appealing being wrapped up with Elena sounded, he wasn't sure he would be able to control himself when he did climb under said blanket with her.

"Your loss. It's really snuggly." She nuzzled into the blanket to show him what he was missing.

"Tease." He murmured, leaning over to her briefly.

She was just about to make a retort when Rebekah walked over to join them, cradling her own coffee. So she turned her attention to the blonde, deciding to have a little fun. "Damon's insulting my blanket." She said with a pout.

"This blanket?" The blonde asked, lifting it up and sitting under it with Elena. "Clearly he doesn't know just how warm and cosy it is."

Oh, he _did._ But Rebekah didn't need to know how he knew that. No, she didn't need to know that he had been under that very blanket with Elena, _naked_. "I'm just fine without the blanket." He told the girls, ignoring the chill his thin jacket was doing nothing to help with.

They managed to wrap just before the sun began to rise and Elena was now in the trailer, scrubbing the makeup off her face that had been there for the best part of fourteen hours with several touch ups in between. She was desperate for a shower and her bed, now that idea was finally in sight.

Damon entered the trailer, grabbing a wipe and began removing his own makeup and she simply watched him, a smile playing on his lips as he cleaned his face. "Stop watching me, darling. It's distracting." He said, huskily, looking over to where she was stood.

"Sweetie, I can so what I like." She replied, a smirk playing on her lips.

Damon stood up and walked up to where Elena was stood, pushing her legs apart with his foot, standing in between them.

"The things I want to do to _you_." He mumbled against her lips. His eyes were dark, gazing straight into hers, blue meeting brown. He wanted so much to consume her right here, but he held back. His hands gripped onto his hips, pushing his into her own. She let out a quiet moan, gently tugging at his hair.

"Damon…" She breathed, desperately trying to regain control of her body, but the gaze he was giving her gave her body a mind of its own.

"Yes?" He smirked. _Damn_ him.

"Someone could walk in." She swallowed thickly and as if on cue, the door opened and the two sprung apart like a pair of horny teenagers caught by their parents in the midst of a heated make out session.

Alaric poked his head through the door, eyeing them up but decided not to comment. "Me and Rebekah are going to grab breakfast if you guys want to come? She mentioned waffles and quite frankly, I'm starving."

Elena's mouth salivated at the sound of waffles. "Oh, I'm definitely up for that. Damon?" She glanced over at him, where he had continued to scrub off his makeup after getting distracted earlier.

"Sounds like a plan." He replied, nodding at Ric.

"Meet me in the car in ten minutes or I'm leaving you behind." Alaric teased, leaving the trailer again.

Elena looked over at Damon, narrowing her eyes. "You're going to get us both in trouble."

"Whatever you say, darling." He replied with that devilish smirk of his that was _definitely_ going to get Elena in trouble.

Forty five minutes later, Damon, Elena, Alaric and Rebekah were all sat in a booth of a diner, eyeing up the menus.

"I don't know why I'm looking, I already know I want waffles." Rebekah grinned, closing the menu.

"I think I'm going to join you on that. And a vanilla milkshake." Elena decided, closing her own menu and waiting for the guys to make their decision.

"I want a burger. Is that weird?" Damon mused, looking at the menu, then at Elena who was sat next to him.

"Not really, we've been up all night. I'm pretty sure my body has no idea what is going on." She laughed.

"Welcome to showbiz." Alaric added. "I'm going to have bacon and eggs with a side of bourbon. You joining me?" He winked at Damon.

"You're having bourbon for breakfast?" Damon raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, we've been up all night. This is a nightcap for me." Alaric defended, trying to get the attention of the waitress.

"Hey, whatever helps you sleep at night." Damon smirked, raising his hands in surrender.

The waitress came over to take their order and it wasn't long before they were tucking into their food. Alaric, true to his word, received his bourbon and was happily drinking from the glass of amber liquid, in between bites of his food. Both Rebekah and Elena were heavily invested in their plates of waffles, drenched in maple syrup and the sounds Elena made as she ate, were making Damon's pants tight. Damn that little vixen. He picked up a fry from his plate and reached over, dipping it in the pool of maple syrup from Elena's.

"Hey!" She glared at him, slapping his hand away but he simply put the maple covered fry to his mouth, making noises as he ate it.

"Mmm, so good." He moaned, knowing he was playing her.

"If you wanted syrup, you should have got your own." She glared playfully, moving her plate away from him. She watched a bit of syrup drip down his lip and wanted so desperately to lick it off, but she resisted, because unfortunately, they had company.

"Do you and that fry want some alone time?" Rebekah laughed, watching Damon opposite her.

"Stop being mean to me, both of you." He gestured to the girls, picking up his burger and taking a bite.

"I'm not. You're being disgusting. Syrup and fries, really?" The blonde scrunched up her nose, taking a sip of coke.

"You should try milkshake and fries." He placed his burger back down on the plate and picked up another fry, dunking it in Elena's milkshake.

"Will you stop dipping your fries in my food?" The brunette glared. "Ric, will you back me up here?"

"Hell no, I'm staying out of it." Alaric replied, signalling to the waitress to refill his drink.

"I thought you had my back." She pouted.

"Not when I've been awake for twenty four hours straight." He mumbled, but his mood instantly perked when he received his refill of bourbon.

The group continued to eat, talk about work and joke around. But eventually, yawning overtook them and they decided to leave, unable to fight sleep any longer.

They were now in the car on their way back after Alaric kindly picked up the bill at the diner. He dropped Rebekah off first, followed by Elena which left just Damon and Alaric in the car. Damon was grateful of the ride back but he secretly wished he could have gone back with Elena. But he couldn't do that without telling his friend what was going on with him and the brunette that filled his thoughts, and he wasn't quite ready to do that because _he _didn't even have any idea what was going on. It was all very new and he was doing his damndest not to fuck it up, because he liked her. And he was pretty sure she liked him too.

"I've got a list of pretty cheap apartment listings for you if you still want them?" Alaric asked, bringing him out of thought.

"Oh, yeah, that would be great." Damon replied, remembering their conversation a couple weeks ago. He really needed to get out of the hotel room and get his own space. But right now he needed sleep.

As he swiped his key card and entered his room, he couldn't help but appreciate the freshly made bed and the set of clean towels that hung in the rail in the bathroom. I guess there were some perks to living in a hotel room. After a quick shower, and most importantly, leaving the _do not disturb_ sign hanging on the outside of his door, he climbed into bed, appreciating the cool sheets on his skin, but as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out cold.

It was almost as if he had blinked, because the next thing he was aware of was his phone buzzing on the nightstand. He cracked his eyes open and was met by darkness filling the room, all bar the glare of his phone. Squinting, he picked up the device, seeing several messages from Elena.

**Elena Gilbert:** _Hey, just woke up. How are you feeling? Xx _(18:03)

**Elena Gilbert:**_ Do you want to come over and watch a movie? Xx _(19:47)

**Elena Gilbert: **_Damon? Are you dead? Xx _(22:20)

**Elena Gilbert: **_DAMOOONNNNN I'M BORED! _(00:05)

The last message had been set a few minutes ago. He glanced at the time and it took him a few moments before he realised. Had he seriously just slept for sixteen hours straight?! He pressed the button to call Elena, laying back on his back and stretching his legs out while he waited for her to answer.

"He lives!" She answered after a few rings, far to chirpy for his liking.

"Is it actually midnight?" He murmured, his voice thick and groggy from sleep.

"It is. Have you seriously been asleep this whole time?" She questioned, curling her legs up underneath her on the couch where she was currently sitting. She'd had a good ten hours sleep herself but she couldn't help find amusement in the fact that Damon had literally slept the entire day away.

"Mhmm." He replied, rubbing his eyes with his spare hand. "I guess I was tired." He chuckled.

"You must have been. But I'm back on set tomorrow so I couldn't exactly sleep like the dead, but you apparently did." She teased.

He brushed past her comment, still not awake enough to come up with a witty comeback. "What time do you get off tomorrow? We could always hang out if you want?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. I think about six, but I'm not entirely sure. I can give you a call when I'm leaving set, it will probably take an hour to get back in traffic at that time anyway."

"Perfect, I'll see you tomorrow then. And I can take you up on that offer of _not_ watching a movie and kissing you instead." He smirked to himself.

Elena blushed, glad Damon couldn't actually see her, knowing he would tease her for it. "I'll hold you to that." She bit her lip, playing along.

"Good. Now, I'm going to order room service then go back to sleep for a few more hours because I'm still tired. Goodnight, darling." He spoke, flicking the light on and reaching for the room service menu.

"Night Damon." She giggled, hanging up the phone.

This man was going to be the death of her if she kept reacting the way she did whenever she saw or spoke to him. But she was unbelievably happy. She had her dream job that she had worked so hard to get and now she apparently had a Damon. That same Damon who she still remembered as the unbelievably hot guy, two years above her in college. The womanizer who always had his arm hooked around a different girl every week. And yet he seemed so different with her. She just hoped he wouldn't get bored of her like he did with all the other girls he had before her. Because she was already far too gone to deal with that.

**Please leave me a review and tell me what you think, things are pretty shitty in my personal life right now and your comments always make me smile. I love you all!**

**-P x**


	12. Ready For It?

**A/N: So, I started writing this chapter because I was blocked with NEM and this happened. I didn't even plan to write what's in this one but apparently my girls had other plans, so enjoy this girly catch up. Next chapter will be full of DE, I promise, so count this as a bonus chapter because I didn't even think I'd be posting tonight!**

**Also, thank you so much for the lovely reviews on the last chapter. Every single one of them makes me smile! I hope you enjoy this one!**

**12: **_**Ready For It?**_

Pushing down on the handle, Caroline let herself into Elena's apartment. It had been almost a week since she had last seen her friend and, if truth be told, she was starting to get withdrawal symptoms in terms of company. Since Thursday she had only seen Tyler and even that had only been for an hour or so. The actress dumped her beloved Louis Vuitton handbag on Elena's couch before taking a seat.

"Elena?" She called, assuming her friend to be in the bedroom. "I'm in the living room."

Soon after replying to the last text to the blonde, she heard the front door click and Caroline call her name. She was still in the process of getting dressed and hiding the marks on her neck to avoid further questions. She had missed Caroline this past week while she was working and now she was demanding to know what was going on with her and Damon Salvatore. Elena was still slightly unsure exactly what that was, and for that reason, didn't want anyone to know yet. Despite the fact that Caroline had already pried it out of her.

She and Damon has spent the last two nights together after she had finished shooting for the day. Things were great right now, but apart from keeping it low key, they hadn't really discussed anything. And that was how she wanted to keep things for now, at least while they were still working together.

"I'm in the bedroom." She called back, fully expecting her friend to walk though.

At Elena's response, Caroline pushed herself back up from the sofa and wandered up the hall and into the bedroom where her friend had called from. "Hiya," she grinned toothily, leaning against the doorframe.

The last time she had been in this part of Elena's house had been just after she had moved in and the actress gave a soft sigh, thinking how much had changed since then.

"So," she exhaled, pursing her lips together. "Damon, ay?" She laughed, still unsure as to how things unfolded. But then, with the week's events, Caroline hadn't been sure of much in her friends' lives.

Just as she expected, Caroline appeared at the doorway. She flashed the blonde a smile, still fixing her hair. It hung over her shoulders, just about covering the marks Damon had left on her neck; hopefully they would be gone by monday, otherwise the makeup artist on set might have something to say.

She gave a slight laugh at her comment, standing up from in front of her mirror and going to sit on her bed. "_Well_.. not entirely sure how it happened, to be honest."

Caroline chuckled, shaking her head in Elena's direction. "How can you not be sure?" she asked incredulously. This was so typical of Elena, she thought to herself. Only Elena could 'sort-of' get herself into a 'sort-of' relationship and not know how. "I mean… was this when you went over to his? When I went off on one at you?" She felt guilty, if truth be told. Even if she had apologised to her friend. She had been in a horrible place at the time and had said cruel things about people who didn't deserve it.

Elena laughed. "It sort of happened really fast. And as it happens, yes it was." She looked up with a playful glare, remembering how Caroline had given her a lecture on making mistakes. "And he came over last night." She said, unable to hold back a smile. "Anyway, enough about me, what's happened with you in the last week?" She asked, purposely to flip the topic of conversation from herself to Caroline.

"Oh," Caroline said, pouting her bottom lip in mock disappointment. "Really fast? Oh I'm sorry, honey. Maybe it had been a while for him…" She creased into laughter, her shoulders shaking a little. "But, no. I… I know what you mean. Last night? Is that when you had him pinned to the kitchen counter?" she asked, keen to take as much time as possible before answering her friend's question. "I've barely left the house this week," she said simply. "I mean, there was the party then I was here on Sunday. I went home on Tuesday and….yup. That's it."

"Bitch." She glared. "Those are your words, not mine." She added, knowing she was joking. "No, that was the other night." She made a mental note to tell her friend less, because apparently she was sharing too much. "Last night we just cuddled on the couch. And I kept my pants _on. _Underwear anyway..." She mumbled the last bit, standing up when her phone buzzed, quickly texting Rebekah back. Apparently her cast mates were planning a night out tonight and they wanted to know if she would be up for it.

Caroline raised an eyebrow at the brunette's response but said nothing, the small quirk of her lips giving enough of a reply on their own. "Well, at least you kept them on," she said after a small silence. "It's more than I expected." It wasn't true. She knew Elena wasn't that sort of girl; though it was definitely fun to tease her about it.

Elena gave her friend a gasp, acting offended at her comment. "Care, I'm shocked you would think so low of me. Anyway, have you _seen_ Damon Salvatore?" She stood up, pulling her through to the kitchen. "Do you want coffee?" She asked, grabbing two mugs from the cupboard and started up the coffee machine.

"I have, yes," she replied simply, allowing herself to be dragged into the kitchen. "He's alright. Seen better." She said, feigning indifference with a shrug of her shoulders. She was more than a little aware of how attractive Damon was; regardless of what she said.

"Really? Care to point out where you have seen better?" She asked and started to make her friend coffee. She filled the mugs with coffee, adding milk to them and stirring. "Sugar?" She asked, sliding the mug and sugar over to her, carefully sipping from her own cup.

"Uh, my Tyler, obviously," she said, nodding her head surely. There was a lot she could say about 'her Tyler', she thought but regardless of what he had done, even when she was angry at him, there was no denying how attractive she found him. Taking the mug, Caroline added the required additives before sipping to ensure it was just right.

"That is a biased opinion, Caroline Forbes." She watched her add sugar and taste her coffee multiple times before she was satisfied. "Sure you got that right?" She joked, leaning against the counter.

"It is not biased," she laughed. She had always found Tyler attractive, even before they had gotten together, though she didn't feel the need to vocalise it. "I'm just making sure. I'm very particular about how I take my coffee, you know?"

"So, how are you and Tyler?" Elena knew something had been going on, but she didn't know the details and hated how Caroline was so quiet about it. Especially since her friend made her share so much of her own life.

"We're fine," Caroline shrugged, smiling softly. "Same as ever…" She added, knowing that it was hardly the truth.

"Are you really fine? All that moping has nothing to do with this?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. In the time she had known her, she had learned to read Caroline like a book. And it was obvious she was lying.

"All what moping?" Caroline asked, frowning at her friend and shaking her head. "Why wouldn't I be fine?" There was nothing that could warrant her strange behaviour, nothing her friends could possibly guess anyway and she replied with another shrug of her shoulders.

"Okay." She decided to drop it for now. They would only end up arguing if Elena kept pushing at it. "So, what did you want to do?"

"You know what I want to do. I want a nice, girly chat…and I want the gossip." She laughed, refusing to let that one go.

"I've already told you everything. What else do you want to know?" She loved Caroline to pieces, but the second something happened, such as her tongue down Damon's throat, she wanted to know. Even though she didn't share much of her own relationship.

She laughed, feeling guilty at Elena's response and simply shrugged. She had always loved gossip and would happily have shared anything with Elena but not what had happened over the past week. It wasn't right. Wasn't her place to tell, she supposed in some ways but, mostly, because it made her feel useless and unwanted and she hardly wanted to share that with her friends, not when they all seemed to think how idealistic her relationship was.

"Okay, how about you give me some advice then?" She suggested. "Things are obviously progressing too fast with Damon. What should I do?" The fact she barely knew what was happening, was a sign that they should slow things right down. "I mean, we're still working together and I don't want us to get in the way of that." She took a sip of coffee and placed her mug down, picking at her nail varnish, making a mental note to get her nails done soon. They had been sleeping together all week and their current arrangement was fine, but how long until it started to get in the way of work? Because that fact started to scare Elena.

Caroline frowned as Elena spoke, not sure she liked how this was going. They weren't technically much of anything yet, according to her friend, yet they seemed to already be pretty involved. "Elena, getting involved with co stars is not usually a good thing." She said, shaking her head. No, this definitely didn't sound like something she approved of.

Elena frowned, worrying more. "We were going to wait...you know, until after we've finished shooting." She swallowed, pushing herself off the counter. "But then we didn't... The way he looks at me. It makes my heart melt but terrifies me at the same time." She let out a shaky breath, taking a sip of her coffee.

Sighing, Caroline shrugged her shoulders. "Well I don't really know what to suggest. It's up to you, really." She had never been in the position Elena was in, had no idea how to behave in such a situation but she knew that it could not be a pleasant one to be in.

Elena sat down and rested her forehead on the table, groaning. "Fuck. I think I'm sure of myself again then _this _happens." She lifted her head, looking over at the blonde. "Do you know what I told myself before moving over here? Don't bother with relationships because itt makes everything too complicated. I've done the total opposite of that." She sighed, putting her face in her hands.

"Relationships don't make things complicated," Caroline said, shaking her head and staring at the blonde sadly. "People make things complicated. Some relationships are fine and the people involved can muddle through life as happy as Larry. No complications necessary. They're the lucky ones." She laughed weakly, giving her shoulders a small shrug. "We don't get that kind of luck." She paused, doing her best not to bring her own feelings into the conversation. "I think you need to set boundaries. You need to speak to him and find out what you both want. And you need to work out how you are going to deal with the fact that you'll both be working together for the next month or so."

She sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I want to see where things go, but I don't know if I'm ready for a full blown relationship, so I need to find out exactly what he wants out of it. If I told him a month, two months down the line that it wasn't working.." She stopped, not wanting to think about it.

She nodded along with Elena, letting out a soft sigh when she trailed off. "You owe it to him and to yourself. Mostly yourself, though, to be honest."

Elena nodded, wanting to drop the subject quickly. She was starting to over think things and when that happened, it never ended well. Things were so confusing with Damon. She would rather let nature take its course and leave it at that. However it wasn't always that simple. She finished the rest of her coffee, glad she had actually had something today, following her very long lie in

"Can we talk about something else? Something positive?" The brunette gave a small laugh, putting her mug in the sink to wash up later. Elena opened the fridge for something to eat and found it pretty much bare. She frowned and realised this is what Damon meant about taking care of herself.

"Something else?" she laughed, shaking her head. "Something positive…" Caroline shrugged her shoulders, not entirely sure that there was much positive going on around the pair. "I start work on Friday. I suppose that is pretty positive. Though you'd never guess, the way I've been acting. I mean, on Friday I was all for calling them up and telling them that I had to drop out purely because I was having a bad day…"

Elena turned around with wide eyes. "You _what_?! You're not allowed to do that. Ever." Elena couldn't believe the blonde had refused to tell her what was wrong, even though it was big enough to make her want to drop out of a project.

"Oh you know what it's like," she said vaguely, waving her hand. "You have a bad day and you don't want to leave your bed. You just assumed you won't want to for a while."

"Anyway, I'm glad you didn't. What is it you're doing again? I swear I didn't forget. I just haven't been awake for even an hour yet." She flashed the brunette a grin and looked in another cupboard for something to eat, but to no avail.

She shrugged, knowing she had been silly. "It's just a small movie about a President who basically does everything wrong and the country don't realise it. I'm his spoiled daughter," she chuckled. As Elena's hunt began, Caroline rolled her eyes. "Just order in. You always do!"

"That sounds like fun. I can't wait to laugh at you in that. Sorry, watch you." She giggled. "Shut up, I do not! I just haven't been food shopping in a while. I'm trying not to order in so much, stop encouraging me!" She stuck her tongue out and opened the fridge again, frowning.

"Oh shut up, I can assure you that it won't be half as fun to laugh at as Storms is. You get to see me go all lesbian next season," she replied, with a waggle of her brows. "Sounds right up your street, no?" At her friend's protests, however, Caroline shook her head. "I don't believe that for one minute. You realise I have never been in this house without you ordering in or at least trying to?"

"You think lesbian is right up my street, yet you tell me to keep my pants on in Salvatore's company? Girl, you have problems!" She laughed, giving up on the search for food. "How about we go shopping for groceries? Right now." She grabbed Caroline's hand and pulled her away from the counter, towards the door. "I don't always eat takeout and I should stop doing so anyway before i get fired because I got fat." She laughed at her friends unwillingness to move and threw her jacket at her.

"Fine, but you're buying me chocolate." Caroline shrugged on her jacket and picked up her handbag, following Elena out of the apartment. If she was going to have to endure the chore of food shopping for the sake of her friend, she was damn well going to get something out of it.

"Okay, deal." She grinned. Chocolate seemed like a fair compromise for the fact that she was practically forcing the girl against her will to go grocery shopping with her. But she was grateful; this got her out of the house and took her mind away from Damon long enough so she could get her head together and they could discuss what they were doing and where things were going. Caroline was right, damn her. They needed to be adult about this, because being reckless was just going to lead to one of them getting hurt and Elena didn't want that for either of them.

**I loved writing these two having a good gossip, and I think Elena needed it too. The next chapter of NEM should be following soon, as soon as I can work out how to actually get the words on paper. My characters are fighting me, but I'll get there! **

**Thank you all for your support and please review!**

**-P x**


	13. Red

**A/N: Here it is, the next chapter! And as promised, since I deprived you last time, it's full of Delena! YAY! I won't keep you waiting, so on with the chapter. Enjoy!**

**13: **_**Red**_

Elena stared at the pile of clothes on her bed then back at her wardrobe as she desperately tried to find something to wear that fit the Hollywood nightlife. The issue was, she didn't own anything like that. Her usual night attire was jeans and a nice top and throw on a pair of heels for good measure, but as she had discovered, the girls here in LA dressed themselves up to the nines in dresses that could easily pay her rent for a month. She sighed and started rooting through her closet again.

Rebekah and some of her other cast mates, Rose, Lexi and Hayley had arranged a night out for the girls and Elena had agreed to join them. Besides, staying home on a Saturday night was not exactly her idea of fun, no matter how much she enjoyed curling up on the couch with a bottle of wine and a good movie. Caroline had left a couple of hours earlier after she received a text from Tyler, asking her to come over so they could talk. That could either mean good of bad news, but regardless her friend and now she was stuck with trying to find an outfit.

She pulled out a red slinky dress and held it up against her frame, looking in the mirror. Sighing, she took the hanger off the dress and slipped it over her head, pulling the fabric down her body. She had to admit, the dress looked good. It hugged her figure beautifully, made her boobs look better than they were and came down to just above her knees, giving it just enough class. She turned around, analysing her reflection, deciding this was probably her best bet. After running a curling wand through the ends of her hair to give it some volume and touching up her lip gloss, she decided she was ready. She had paired the dress with a pair of gold strappy sandals and a little black clutch. No one would be able to tell the dress had cost her twenty dollars in a sale back in New York.

An hour later, she walked into a bar where she was meeting the girls. She looked around and spotted them sitting in a booth by the far end of the bar. She had only walked halfway across the floor before she noticed there was a fifth and sixth person sitting with them. Damon and Alaric. This was going to be interesting.

"Hey!" She greeted, taking a seat next to Rebekah.

"Girl, you look stunning!" The blonde commented, giving her a quick hug.

"Thanks, so do you!" She giggled before sharing a quick glance with Damon.

"I know I said this was a girls night, but those two found out and tagged along." Rebekah explained what Elena was wondering without her even having to ask. "We've already ordered you a drink." She added, pushing a tequila sunrise in Elena's direction.

"Thanks!" She smiled, taking a sip from her drink. She knew all too well what her, Damon and alcohol in the same room resulted in, and that really did not need to happen while the whole cast were around.

The group continued drinking and chatting until it got later and the music got so loud that is was impossible to hold a conversation. That was when they moved to the dance floor and Elena no longer had a table between her and Damon. She went to the bar to buy a round of drinks and while she was waiting for the cocktails to be made, she smelt a familiar scent in the air and knew it was Damon that was standing next to her.

"Hey." She finally spoke. "I had no idea you were coming out tonight."

"Nor did I. Ric told me you were all out tonight and dragged me along, so he wasn't the only guy." He explained, speaking close to her ear, so she could hear him above the music. "Bourbon." He requested from the bartender before turning his attention back to Elena."You look stunning by the way."

Elena could ignore the way his breath landed on her ear, sending tingles down her spine. "Thank you, but keep your hands to yourself tonight." She quipped, with a smirk on her lips. She shook herself back to reality and paid for the drinks, handing them out to the girls.

"Aww, but I don't want to." He pouted, paying for his own drink.

"Later." She simply replied with a wink, returning back to the dancefloor.

Well, if that didn't make his pants tight. He watched her hips sway in that deliciously tight dress as she started dancing with Lexi. He could deal with later, but as soon as they were leaving, he was having her.

Many drinks later, he could tell Elena was getting drunk as she continued to dance in a way that he deemed should be made illegal in public. He watched her from the bar, while he drank with Alaric, simply enjoying the view.

"Who are you looking at?" Alaric spoke, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"No one." Damon replied, a little too quickly.

"One of the girls?" He pried, taking a swig of his drink.

"No." He answered, downing the rest of his own drink, wishing his friend would kindly drop the subject.

"Hey, look by all means." He shrugged, signalling the bartender to refill their drinks. "Just please don't sleep with any of them, Damon." He added, giving him a stern look.

Damon swallowed thickly. "Got it."

With that, Damon decided it was a good time to go out for a smoke. He walked outside to the terraced area and pulled a cigarette out of the packet, lighting it and taking a long drag. Ric had basically told him not to sleep with Elena, and what had he been doing. Maybe the idea of waiting until the movie was over seemed like a better idea now. Not that he exactly _wanted_ to, but things could get complicated and he didn't want their relationship interfering with their work. Plus, he _really _didn't want to piss Ric off. He was giving them both a shot in the acting industry and he didn't want to screw it up.

But at that moment, he spotted red out of the corner of his eye and turned his head to see his gorgeous brunette walking outside. She spotted him immediately and walked over to where he was standing, with a smile on her face.

"You okay?" He asked as she closed in on him, blowing out some smoke from his cigarette.

"Yeah, just needed some air. It's really hot in there." That was partly true. She was also sick of guys trying to dance with her. It wasn't her style, especially not while her and Damon had their thing.

"_You're_ really hot in there." He quipped, his signature smirk playing on his lips.

"Yeah?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Mhmm." He agreed, dropping his head to place a kiss on her lips. "Where have you been hiding that dress?" He murmured against her lips.

She shrugged. "I just haven't had any occasion for it, until tonight."

"I can't wait to take it off you later." He spoke, his eyes growing dark with desire. His hands drifted to her hips, pulling her flush against him.

At that mere comment, her stomach flipped as a burning heat began to pool deep within her. Her eyes met his in a lingering gaze that showed him just how much she wanted that too. The alcohol had already begun to cloud her judgement and it took everything within her to stop her backing him against the brick wall and letting her rip the dress from her right there and then. And he seemed to feel the same way as his lips met hers again, hungrier this time. Her ran his tongue along her bottom lip and she opened her mouth for him, her tongue mingling with his. She could taste smoke, whiskey and everything that was Damon on him. As the kiss became more and more desperate, their surroundings seem to disappear from them until they were the only two people there. After a while, Damon pulled away, breathing heavily.

"We should get out of here…" He murmured, desperate to have her out of that sinful dress and naked underneath him.

"We can't just disappear, Damon." She replied, her heart hammering in her chest. She wanted to leave too, but they were supposed to be being low key. And this was hardly being low key, was it?

He groaned, knowing she was right. Damn her being right. "Go back inside, I'll only be a minute." He pulled out another cigarette, lighting it. He shifted his pants slightly, suddenly feeling very restricted by them. He was definitely going to need a minute to cool off before he could go back in.

"Okay." She agreed, turning to walk back inside the bar. "Smoking is bad for you, you know." She grinned, turning to look back at him.

"You're bad for me." He retorted, slapping her on the ass as she walked away.

As the night progressed, Elena found herself at the bar with Lexi, Hayley and Rebekah, throwing back tequila shots. She was actually having a good time, despite being rather drunk. This was exactly what she needed to unwind from a long week at work. If only Damon would stop with his smouldering looks in her direction, because the more she drank, the more she was likely to lose control and kiss him right in front of everyone. She was about to retreat from the bar when another shot was pushed in front of her.

"Lexi!" She whined, throwing her head back in a dramatic fashion. Much more of this and she would be on the floor for sure.

"One more and we're heading to a club. On the count of three!" She cheered, picking up her own shot. The other girls did the same and Elena begrudgingly followed suit, lifting the shot glass to her lips and tipping her head back, letting the liquid burn its way down her throat.

As the cool night air hit her, she realised just how drunk she was, swaying slightly, no matter how hard she tried to walk in a straight line. Damon caught her before she had a chance to fall, wrapping his arm around her waist for support.

"Water for you, when we get there. Until you sober up a bit." He told her, keeping her upright.

"S'not my fault." She slurred. "They made me!" She shouted, raising her finger accusingly at the other three girls that appeared to be equally intoxicated, barely managing to put one foot in front of the other themselves.

"They don't have to look after you." He murmured into her ear, getting flooded with the scent of her shampoo in the process. He wanted so desperately to take her home right now but he resisted, knowing she needed to sober up if he didn't want to feel like he was taking advantage of her drunken state. He was buzzed himself, but nowhere near Elena's level.

As they waited in the queue to enter the club, Damon realised he still had his arms wrapped around Elena. She leaned happily into his frame, using him for support but also enjoyed the feeling of his body pressed against her. He glanced over at Alaric who was happy in the bar, but didn't appear to like the idea that he was being dragged out to a club. As they neared the front of the queue, Elena had practically all her weight on him and he was sure they wouldn't even let her in in this state.

"Lena baby, you need to stand up by yourself. Or we'll have to go home." He murmured into her ear.

For a second, her eyes lit up at that idea. Home. With Damon. But she stood up properly, doing her best to act sober. "I'm good." She assured him, straightening out her dress. The girls were already having their ID's checked and entering the club and now it was her turn. She handed her own ID to the bouncer, who glanced at the card then back up at her. She gave him a toothy grin and he surprisingly let her pass. Damon had no idea how she had managed that, when only moments earlier, she couldn't even stand, but they were now inside. They paid the entry fee and walked through into a huge room with bright lights and music that pulsated through the walls. True to his word, Damon walked up to the bar and ordered her a glass of water which she quickly drank, not realising how much she needed it.

Damon ordered himself a whiskey from the bar, once he was satisfied that Elena had drank her water, but he barely got his hands on his drink before he was being dragged towards the dancefloor by none other than Rebekah Mikaelson. Elena couldn't help but feel a little jealous as she watched Damon dance with Rebekah. Sure, it was probably innocent. It was what you did in a club; dance. But she didn't like Damon dancing with other girls one bit.

It took him a full song to realise Elena wasn't with them. He glanced back to the bar and saw her there, squinting at her phone, texting something that was unlikely to make any sense. He moved away from Rebekah and over to the bar, pulling Elena to him.

"What's up?" He questioned, cocking his head to the side.

"Nothing." She answered coldly, pressing her lips together in a tight line. Yeah, she was probably overreacting, but it didn't sit comfortable with her one bit.

"Elena." He spoke, cupping her face. "Talk to me."

"I told you, I'm fine."

But the look on her face was anything but. She actually looked like she might burst into tears at any given moment and Damon was not prepared to have a drunk crying girl on his hands, even if that girl was Elena. He pulled her into his arms, placing one hand on the small of he back and the other in her hair, stroking softly. She melted into his frame, staying silent for a few minutes until she finally spoke.

"I don't want you dancing with anyone else." She murmured against his ear, her body pressed flush against his.

"Why is that?" He questioned, lifting his head from the crook of her neck so he could look at her.

"Because I only want you to dance with me." She spoke lowly. Her hands gripped at his hips, pulling him closer to her if that was even possible and she started to move with the music. She ground herself against him, lifting her head for a kiss, nipping at his bottom lip as if to mark her territory.

He was surprised by her sudden mood change and couldn't help but think that this wasn't just about dancing. Did this mean she wanted to make things official? He pushed that thought to the back of his mind; she was drunk, they should probably have this conversation when they were sober. But he still thought about it, and that thought terrified him. Yes, he liked her and yes, they had great sex, but things were still new and they still were working together. What did tug him back to reality though, was Elena's hand making its way down the front of his jeans, tracing the outline of his erection that always seemed to appear when she was in the vicinity.

"Let's go home." His eyes darkened as he looked at her. He didn't care if anytime saw them leave together at this point. He just needed to have her and show her that she was the only one he wanted. And he wasn't prepared to wait.

As the left the club hand in hand, Damon pulled out his phone to book an Uber. They luckily managed to score one right away and were soon sat in the backseat of the taxi, on their way back to Elena's apartment. It only took a few seconds after closing the doors before her hands and lips were on him, kissing and touching and teasing. Her hands made their way to the button of his jeans, unzipping them and Damon hissed as she stroked him through his boxers.

"Lena." He growled, quickly losing control. "Not here."

"Why not?" She purred as she continued to stroke him. And he was gone as she bit down on her plump pink lips, working her magic with her fingers.

His head dropped back as her hands slid underneath the barrier of fabric, her delicate fingers wrapping around his hard length. He sucked in a breath and bit down on his lip, trying to hold back a moan, realising where they still were. But then her head dropped down, hot, wet lips wrapping around the head of his cock and he couldn't hold it in anymore. He let out a throaty moan which only encouraged her on, as she started to lick and suck, her hands working the base of his shaft. His hands found their way into her long, soft hair, fingers grazing at her scalp as he enjoyed the treat she was giving him. God, maybe he needed to get her drunk more often. _No Damon._ Bad idea.

Everything about this was a bad idea, but while she had her lips wrapped around him, he couldn't find it inside him to give a damn. But then she did something, he had no idea what it was but he was coming; hot seed flowing into her mouth and she lapped it up hungrily. He rode out his orgasm and she let him go with a pop and the only thing he could do was pull his lips to hers in a hungry kiss. Fuck, he was screwed.

**Ooh, steamy! *fans self* I hope you enjoyed and please leave a review and hit that follow button if you want to be alerted when I next update. Please bear with me, updates may be sporadic while I deal with some personal things in my life, I'm writing when I can but I promise I'm not abandoning you and my stories. Love you all!**

**-P x**


	14. Dress

**A/N: Oh wow, it has been a hot minute since I've updated this story or written anything for that matter! Yes I am still here and still alive and I hope there are still some of you out there reading my work! I could ramble on but I won't because I know you all want to read the chapter.**

**NSFW: This chapter is rated M for sexual content etc. so enjoy! **

**14: **_**Dress**_

They had barely made it inside before Damon was working that tight, sinful little dress off her petite frame. He cursed inwardly when he noticed what she was wearing underneath. The tiny scraps of matching red lace that covered her, left little to the imagination. He ran his hands over her smooth skin, pressing her back into the nearest wall as he attacked her lips in another searing kiss.

"Are these for me?" He murmured, his fingers already working on the clasp of her bra. As soon as it had been removed, discarded on the floor along with her dress, his mouth was on her, teasing her nipple between his teeth.

Elena's only response was a deep moan as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Her actions in the cab had driven Damon so crazy that now he needed to have his way with her. And she was letting him. He couldn't wait any longer; his erection already pressing painfully against his trousers again. He wanted to tease her, to torture her; but her being naked in front of her, like putty in his hands, he wanted nothing more than to have those sinfully long legs wrapped around him as she screamed his name for the whole apartment block to hear.

His lips moved back to her neck, nipping and sucking as he worked on his own trousers, setting himself free. He pushed her underwear to the side, running a finger along her folds, swallowing a moan when he felt just how ready she was for him. Within seconds, he had grabbed her thighs, wrapping her legs around his waist as he entered her in one swift motion. She gasped in surprise but that quickly turned into a moan as he filled her; a feeling she had been craving since she first caught him mentally undressing her at the start of the night. She pressed his lips against his in a hungry kiss, tongues swirling in a taste of alcohol and desire as they moved together into the early hours of the morning, until they finally finally collapsed in bed.

It was almost midday before Elena finally awoke, the dull pounding in her had and dry mouth quickly making themselves known. She cracked her eyes open and was greeted by the sight of Damon, still comatose with his thick dark hair sticking up in all directions. Even in his disheveled state, he was still gorgeous. God, Elena was screwed. She was falling hard and fast for this man in her bed and she had no idea what to do about it. Their actions last night had no correlation in wanting to take things slow or even holding off until they had finished their movie. Because if this was moving slow, what the hell would moving fast be? A wedding at the end of the month? She shook her head, she was getting way too ahead of herself. Caroline's voice chimed in her head; her and Damon really needed to talk. Damon had been staying over at her apartment far too often and they needed to set some boundaries, or at least get on the same page about what was going on between them before she got ahead of herself.

But first, she needed water and some painkillers, however the thought of standing up right now was too much to bear. The idea of never leaving her bed sounded far more appealing. She also needed to prepare the scenes for work the following day and well, that would never happen if she never got out of bed.

Slowly, as not to keel over, she sat up and swung her legs out of bed, taking a moment before standing up. Feeling the chill of the apartment, she reached for her bathrobe and tied it around herself before going to the kitchen to fetch the water she desperately needed. She also poured a glass for Damon before returning to the bedroom to find Damon beginning to stir.

"Hey." She spoke softly, her once scratchy throat now soothed with the cool water.

"Hmm." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes and stretching out, feeling the effects of his own hangover.

"Why is it that we always end up here, hungover as hell?" Elena chuckled, handing him a glass of water which he gratefully accepted, before sitting back down on the bed.

"Because you couldn't keep your paws off me last night." He answered with a smirk after sitting up a little and taking several long gulps.

"Hey, that's not fair. You were undressing me with your eyes all night." She stated, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"That's because you walked in all sexy in that dress." He shot back, with a smirk, remembering just how stunning she had looked last night.

"There's that face again!" She accused, gently slapping his arm. "But in all seriousness, we need to talk."

"I'd rather do this." Damon placed his glass down on the nightstand and grabbed Elena, pinning her down underneath him, her hair splayed out on the pillow as she let out a squeal.

"Damon!" She whined, squirming beneath him in an attempt to break free but failing miserably.

"Yes Elena?" He answered, placing soft kisses along her collarbone.

She threw her head back and sighed, trying not to get distracted from the point she was attempting to make. "As much as I'd love to do this all day, I really need to go over my lines for tomorrow. I love spending time with you, it's amazing but we can't let this get in the way of work. I don't want to mess this up. Ric gave me a shot and I can't let him down."

"Then we won't let it get in the way."

"That's easy to say…" She was getting so swept up herself, it took a hell of a lot of willpower to stop herself.

"Listen Lena," he stated, laying down next to her and pulling her closer, "I like you and I don't want this to stop."

"I'm not saying we have to stop. Maybe just slow down, at least for now." She looked into his eyes, to reassure she wasn't rejecting him. That's not how she wanted this to come off.

Damon let out a breath and nodded. "But you have to answer me something. What did you mean last night? In the club?"'

"What do you mean?" She asked, trying to recollect the previous night. Everything was a bit foggy after they left the bar.

"I was with the girls and you seemed upset. You said you didn't want me dancing with anyone but you." It was a shot in the dark but she had to mean something by it.

"I was probably overreacting because I was drunk, but I didn't like seeing you dancing with Rebekah or any of the other girls like that. I only want you to be with me." She mumbled. "Just you and me. No one else."

"Baby, I don't want to see anyone else." He smiled softly, pulling her in for a kiss. She melted against him, instantly kissing back, feeling breathless when he pulled away. "Okay, you need to get up or we are _never_ leaving this bed." He chuckled.

Elena let out a sigh and regrettably pulled away, climbing back out of bed and heading to the bathroom to shower. Damon stretched back out on the bed, smiling to himself. He cared more about this brunette than he had ever cared about any girl before and it was terrifying. In a good way. He hoped.

Two weeks later, Damon and Elena were at her apartment. Elena was working tirelessly, memorising her lines from the script. She was a complete perfectionist; just knowing them wasn't enough. They had to be perfect. Damon was sprawled out on the couch, watching something on TV. He was the complete opposite when it came to work. He learned his lines and then put the script down, letting everything else come naturally in the moment. He had tried to get her to relax a little but it was no use. She was a nervous wreck without her in-depth preparation. And to be honest, she did have far more lines that he did in this movie. Distracted from whatever he was watching, he decided to watch her work instead. She looked absolutely adorable with her hair piled on top of her head in a messy topknot as she furiously scribbled down notes alongside the script. They had been so swept up in work that he only just realised he hadn't even taken her on a proper date yet. And that drunken lunch date _definitely_ did not count. He wanted to do something big like taking her to Disney or back to New York, but that wouldn't work with their schedule. With just three weeks left to shoot the movie, they were on set almost every day. And when they weren't, like today, their time was spent preparing for the following day. A romantic dinner would have to do until this project was over.

Allowing Elena to continue working, he slipped into her bedroom without her noticing. Probably something to do with her head being buried in her script. He admired her for her dedication to her work, but like everyone, she needed a break. Even if it was just for one evening. He opened her closet and looked through her dresses before settling on one he liked. It was a simple bright red cocktail dress; he loved to see her in red, that fell just below her knees with spaghetti straps and a low backline. He'd only seen a photo of her wearing the dress but she looked stunning. He placed it on the bed along with some simple strappy black heels and her leather jacket. Smirking to himself as he opened her underwear drawer, he picked out the laciest red set he could find and placed it on the bed along with the dress with a smug look on his face. He then proceeded to go to the bathroom to run her a bath with lots of bubbles and even lit a few candles. When everything was set, he returned to the living room to find Elena exactly how he left her, although she now appeared to be on the last page of the section she was working on.

"So," Damon started, perching on the arm of the couch where Elena was sitting, "because we have to eat at some point, I thought we could go out for dinner. My treat." He smiled at her.

"Sounds good. What were you thinking?" She nodded, still scribbling something down on her script.

"Well, I realised that we haven't actually been on a date. So I've picked out an outfit for you from your closet and drew you a bath. We have reservations at an italian at eight so you better get ready." He smirked, feeling pretty proud of himself.

Elena looked up him grinning. "You're so sweet." She smiled, giving him a peck on the lips. "And these words are starting to blur into one so I think I'm going to take you up on that offer."

"Good." He kissed her on the head as she stood up. "Now go get ready." He added, slapping her ass playfully as she walked away, smiling to himself.

Elena giggled, sauntering towards the bathroom. Her muscles were aching from sitting in the same position for the most part of the day and a bath was a welcoming idea. She stripped down and stepped into the steaming bath, slowly letting herself sink into the water, welcoming the heat on her stiff muscles.

As the water started to cool, she stepped out of the bath and wrapped a big fluffy towel around herself, heading to the bedroom to get ready. She was actually quite excited about a night out with Damon; just the two of them with no work related interruptions or distractions. Because as she discovered, when you were seeing someone you worked with and practically lived with, it left little time for just the two of you. That was another thing. Damon had sort of unofficially moved in. It had happened pretty naturally that they barely even noticed. He had been spending most nights with her and her apartment and more and more of his things had crept up around the place. His toothbrush, razor and bodywash were in the bathroom. He loved to make himself at home in her kitchen, cooking up a storm, which was great because Elena could barely cook, bar two or three dishes. He even had items of clothing in her laundry.

Elena gazed over at the bed to see the outfit Damon had picked out for her. It was one of her favourite dresses, her red cocktail dress which she happened to have only worn once before. Chuckling to herself, she slipped on the underwear that was also laid out for her, deciding to forgo the bra, and put the dress on, fastening the zip on the side. She tied her hair in a slick bun at the nape of her neck so she didn't have to actually style her hair properly and applied some light makeup. Deciding she was finished, she went back to the living room to seek Damon's approval.

As soon as she emerged in the doorway, Damon lifted his head and stood up, walking over to her. He had also changed into a pair of smart black jeans, a white shirt with the top few buttons open along with his favourite leather jacket.

"You look…" he started, a little lost for words, "beautiful. But we better get going before I change my mind and we end up staying in." He finished with a smirk, placing a gentle peck on her lips.

She smiled, placing her hands on his chest. "You don't look so bad yourself. But I am hungry, so let's go and get some food and we can _stay in_ later."

Damon took Elena's hand as they headed out of the apartment and into a taxi to the restaurant Damon had booked a table at, looking forward to they evening together, feeling happier than he had in a long, long time.

**I was going to include the date but that's gonna be loooongg so that will be in the next chapter! And I PROMISE I won't make you wait as long. **

**Please leave a review - they make me smile! **

**-P x**


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